Shreveport, LA – Shreveport Police announced the discovery of a historically significant desk once used by Jimmie Davis, who served as the city’s Public Safety Commissioner before becoming Governor of Louisiana. Davis held the position in 1938, two years before writing the well-known song “You Are My Sunshine” in 1940 and six years before beginning his term as governor in 1944.
As the department continued moving out of its longtime headquarters on Texas Avenue, Chief Wayne Smith located the desk after following longstanding reports that it remained somewhere inside the building. The desk was found in an office within the facility, preserved from the era in which Davis occupied the role.
On Monday, Chief Smith and local historian Dr. Gary Joiner examined the desk to determine its authenticity. After reviewing its features and historical context, Dr. Joiner confirmed that it was indeed the desk used by Davis during his tenure as Public Safety Commissioner.
The department stated that the rediscovered piece of history provides a tangible connection to an important period in Shreveport’s past. The desk will be preserved and displayed at the department’s new facility to honor Davis’s legacy and his early contributions to public safety in the city.