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Early Years and Education

  • The proximity of Anniston to major rivers and railways provided it with ample trade routes.
  • Tuskegee’s Band playing at Tuskegee’s 25th Anniversary celebration in 1906.
  • In 1913, the Tuskegee campus had its own train depot.
  • Booker T. Washington.
  • In keeping with Booker T. Washington's philosophy, all Tuskegee students worked on campus as part of their education and as a contribution to the school.
  • Among his other activities, Dawson was a student cadet at Tuskegee.
  • Listen as Dawson remembers Tuskegee and Booker T. Washington (3:13 min.).
  • Booker T Washington's memorial on Tuskegee’s campus.
  • Dawson at Tuskegee in uniform with his trombone.
  • William Levi Dawson and the Tuskegee Institute Singers
  • This promotional flyer for the Redpath Chautauqua lists the Tuskegee Singers.
  • Dawson’s 1921 graduation photograph.
  • This historic map of Topeka, Kansas provides a geographical context for where Dawson lived and worked.
  • "Forever Thine" demonstrates Dawson’s early compositional skills.
  • Photograph of the orchestra from the Lincoln High School yearbook
  • This Christmas card, sent to Dawson in 1954, features Douglas’s artwork.
  • Dawson’s "Trio in A," which was performed at the Horner Institute of Fine Arts’ 1925 graduation ceremony.
  • This photograph shows the predominantly African American 18th Street area of Kansas City, MO, in the 1920s.
  • An original score of "Jump Back."
  • Weidig was a prominent teacher who also taught composer Ruth Crawford Seeger.
  • Dawson’s appointment to the 51st Precinct of the 2nd Ward, April 10, 1928.
  • William Levi Dawson and Cook’s Orchestra.
  • A receipt for the trombone Dawson rented while playing with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.
  • Newspaper clipping about Cornelle Derrick Lampton Dawson
  • Program for the Semi-Finals Century of Progress (World's Fair) Band Concerts (Soldier's Field, Chicago, Illinois), 1 September 1929
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Photograph of Doc Cook and His Doctors of Syncopation at White City, Chicago, Illinois, 1927

William Levi Dawson and Cook’s Orchestra.

Dawson greatly diversified his musical experience in Chicago. Beyond his studies at the American Conservatory, he worked with music publishers, and held first chair in the Chicago Civic Orchestra. He directed a church choir at the Good Shepherd Congregational Church and worked as a jazz musician, playing euphonium, string bass and trombone in Charlie “Doc” Cook’s dance band, “Doctors of Syncopation.” In June of 1927, Dawson recorded four tracks: “Alligator Crawl,” “Willie the Weeper,” “Brainstorm,” and “Slue Foot.” Dawson played trombone and sang with Elwood Graham on these tracks. He also played and recorded with Cookie’s Ginger Snaps as well as Jimmy Noone’s Apex Club Orchestra at Chicago’s Apex Club. During this period, Dawson played with such musicians as Johnny Dodds and Early Fatha Hines (Monroe, 53; Spady, M2).