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William Levi Dawson papers, Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Emory University. Used with permission.
Date unknown.

discrimination, unequal opportunities, and confirming Tuskegee faculty considered each potential student
his worth as an individual. Further, music mentoring before confirming eligibility for commencement. The
from choir director Jennie Cheatham Lee and director professors contemplated the existence of the “Tuskegee
of bands Captain Frank L. Drye provided pedagogical Spirit” in every pupil that would shine the light of wis-
models for success, demands for performance excel- dom on the world. Of course, it did not require lengthy
lence, and a rich background of repertoire. scrutiny for the Tuskegee faculty to confirm Dawson’s
Dawson’s travel with the Tuskegee Quintette along ability to illuminate the world with his ambition, per-
the Redpath Chautauqua Circuit afforded the young sonality, and talent.
musician contact with national political and social re-
form figures, as well as composers such as H. T. Bur- It appears that Dawson never sought employ-
leigh. Boldly, William Dawson shared his own com- ment outside of the Historically Black College
positional manuscript with Burleigh for critique and and University system. Was this a conscious
guidance. Burleigh’s sage advice led to the first signifi- decision? Did he ever mention his loyalty to
cant publication for Dawson in 1923: a vocal solo set- Tuskegee or the education of Black students?
ting of Paul Laurence Dunbar’s poem, “A Negro Love
Song,” titled Jump Back Honey, Jump Back. Despite a temperamental nature in his early years
Prior to graduation from the Institute, the entire at the college, during which he would get mad regard-

CHORAL JOURNAL September 2024 Volume 65 Number 2 17