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as a gifted composer, both in his native country and Tuskegee, Dawson accepted invitations to serve as
internationally. guest conductor for choirs/orchestras, headliner for
music events, keynote speaker in myriad venues, and
Building a Sense of Racial Pride special guest for interviews via radio and television. His
In purposely choosing to include the term “Negro” commitment to lifelong learning was a topic he eagerly
in two of his instrumental compositions, Negro Folk Sym- shared and a quest he encouraged everyone to adopt.
phony and A Negro Work Song, Dawson wanted to ensure
the world knew that a Black man had written symphon-
ic works. In following the footsteps of Dvořák, Daw- Conclusion
son chose to set the folk melodies and motifs of those None of his struggles for equality dampened Wil-
enslaved in America during the antebellum period in liam Dawson’s determination to succeed. He viewed
the form of vocal solos and four-part choral pieces, to any roadblocks as mere minor setbacks and endeav-
embellish, preserve, and celebrate their significance. ored to find a way around, over, or under to get beyond
Again, eschewing the label “spirituals” and preferring any difficulty or challenge. When asked late in life if the
“Negro Folk Songs,” Dawson asserted pride in his race. barriers to matriculation was a discouragement, Daw-
son replied, “You don’t let that disturb you—you have
4
Encouraging the Creative Expression of African Americans a goal.”
In contrast to Antonin Dvořák, who was inspired by William Dawson’s life and work is a testament to
the folk music of his country, William Dawson sought his efforts to achieve equality through the example of
to directly quote the folk music of African Americans his mentor, Booker T. Washington. He was extremely
in his choral and instrumental works. Especially evi- proud of all his musical accomplishments and implic-
denced in his choral settings, Dawson went further to itly delighted by his work toward a more equal and just
invoke his extensive study of music to harmonize and society. However, he was not effusively specific, nor
use compositional techniques to extend the significance boastful of the strides he made toward racial and social
of the original vocal themes fashioned by enslaved Afri- uplift.
cans in America. Indeed, some of his choral works are
creative concert adaptations of organic material that
are more like new compositions. Thus, William Daw- NOTES
son often listed himself as composer.
1 Mark Hugh Malone, William Levi Dawson: American Mu-
Focus on Intellectualism sic Educator (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi,
In my interviews with Dawson, he spoke often of 2023), 23.
his desire to “be something.” To that end, he set out to 2 Ibid.
achieve a music education by matriculating at Tuske- 3 Carolyn Kyler, “Dawn in Harlem: Exploring the Origins
gee Institute in Alabama to earn an elementary and of the Harlem Renaissance Through Image and Text,”
secondary education. Determined to continue to learn, Critical Insights: Harlem Renaissance (New York: Grey
Dawson persisted in the face of racial discrimina- House Publishing/Salem Press 2015), 5.
tion and segregation laws to be admitted for study to 4 Mark Hugh Malone, William Levi Dawson, 32.
complete a bachelor’s degree in music. Further study
led him to hone his compositional skills and achieve
the status as a master of music. Forged with his edu-
cation and experience Dawson returned to Tuskegee
for twenty-five years to develop artistic and life skills in
students and assist them in their journey to reach self-
actualization.
For over half a century following retirement from

CHORAL JOURNAL September 2024 Volume 65 Number 2 19