rie ▁Elizabeth ▁Davis ▁in ▁Perry , ▁Florida , ▁to ▁O la ▁Ma e ▁and ▁Tom ▁Davis . ▁Her ▁mother ▁was ▁a ▁house keeper ; ▁her ▁father , ▁Tom , ▁de alt ▁with ▁an ▁issue ▁of ▁alco hol ism ▁and ▁left ▁soon ▁after ▁his ▁daughter ' s ▁birth . ▁She ▁graduated ▁from ▁Book er ▁T ▁Washington ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁T ampa , ▁Florida , ▁and ▁soon ▁applied ▁for ▁school ▁at ▁University ▁of ▁Pennsylvania . ▁However , ▁W imb ish ▁was ▁turned ▁down ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁her ▁race . ▁Disc ou rag ed ▁but ▁determined , ▁W imb ish ▁began ▁working ▁towards ▁a ▁degree ▁at ▁Florida ▁Agricult ural ▁and ▁Mechan ical ▁College ▁for ▁Neg ro es , ▁which ▁is ▁now ▁known ▁as ▁Florida ▁A & M . ▁She ▁began ▁college ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 6 ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁of ▁becoming ▁a ▁doctor . ▁While ▁att ending ▁school , ▁she ▁met ▁Ralph ▁W imb ish , ▁another ▁asp iring ▁phys ician . ▁They ▁married ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁year , ▁she ▁received ▁her ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁from ▁Florida ▁A & M . ▁She ▁began ▁her ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁physical ▁education ▁teacher , ▁while ▁her ▁husband ▁purs ued ▁studies ▁in ▁medicine ▁at ▁Me har ry ▁Medical ▁College ▁in ▁Nash ville . ▁ ▁The ▁young ▁couple ▁de alt ▁with ▁issues ▁disc rim ination ▁and ▁har ass ment ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁their ▁civil ▁rights ▁efforts . ▁They ▁attempted ▁to ▁build ▁a