William Levi Dawson
(April 26, 1886 – November 9, 1970)
He was a prominent American politician and attorney who dedicated over 27 years to representing a district in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States House of Representatives. He served from 1943 until his passing in 1970 and played a significant role in the civil rights movement. In 1949, he achieved the historic distinction of becoming the first African American to chair a congressional committee.
Early Life and Education:
William Dawson was born in Albany, Georgia, in 1886, during a time of segregation. He received his education in the segregated public school system and graduated from Albany Normal School in 1905, an institution that prepared teachers for lower-level schools. His pursuit of education led him to Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, a historically black college, where he graduated with honors in 1909.
In 1912, Dawson moved to Chicago to attend Northwestern University Law School. During this time, he also became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. His arrival in Chicago coincided with the Great Migration, a significant movement of African Americans from the rural South to Northern and Midwestern industrial cities.
Career Highlights:
With the outbreak of World War I, Dawson served as a first lieutenant with the 366th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army in France from 1917 to 1919. Upon returning home, he became a licensed attorney in 1920 and established a successful private law practice in Chicago.
Dawson’s political career began in 1930 when he joined the Republican Party, becoming a state central committeeman for Illinois’ First Congressional District. He held this position until 1932. In 1933, he was elected as an alderman for Chicago’s second ward, a position he held until 1939. Subsequently, he transitioned to the Democratic Party, serving as a committeeman.
In 1942, Dawson was elected as a Democratic Representative from Illinois to the Seventy-eighth Congress. His successful election marked the beginning of a long and influential tenure, as he continued to be reelected for thirteen consecutive terms. During his time in Congress, he actively supported civil rights initiatives and worked towards voter registration drives.
One of Dawson’s notable accomplishments was his opposition to the poll tax, a discriminatory practice that disproportionately affected poorer voters and minorities. He also played a significant role in defeating the Winstead Amendment, which would have allowed military members to opt out of racially integrated units following World War II.
Dawson was a pioneering figure in African American politics, speaking at the first annual conference of the Regional Council of Negro Leadership in 1952, held in Mound Bayou, Mississippi. He was invited by Dr. T.R.M. Howard, the organization’s leader, making him the first black congressman to speak in the state since Reconstruction ended in 1877.
As a member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), Dawson aimed to increase national black support for the Democratic Party, traditionally aligned with the Republican Party since the Civil War. He faced a challenge from Republican opponent T.R.M. Howard in the 1958 election but retained his seat.
Dawson held the distinction of being the first African American to chair a regular congressional committee, leading the Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments from 1949 onwards. He continued to chair its successor, the Committee on Government Operations, from the Eighty-fourth through Ninety-first Congresses. Alongside Adam Clayton Powell Jr. from New York, he represented the two African-American voices in Congress for many years.
While Dawson led the African-American “submachine” within the Cook County Democratic Organization, he focused on patronage and services for his constituents. However, his political influence was intertwined with the larger Democratic machine led by Mayor Richard J. Daley. He opted to engage in city politics rather than open civil rights challenges, and he did not support Martin Luther King Jr.’s efforts in Chicago during the 1960s.
In the 1960 presidential campaign, Dawson advised John F. Kennedy not to use the term “civil rights” in his speeches to avoid offending his Southern congressional colleagues. Kennedy later offered Dawson the position of United States Postmaster General as a token of appreciation, but Dawson declined, believing he could accomplish more in the House.
William Dawson passed away in Chicago on November 9, 1970, due to pneumonia. He left behind a legacy of dedication to civil rights and advocacy for his constituents, making him a significant figure in both African-American politics and the history of the United States Congress.