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James I Dawson Bldg
James Ira Dawson

James Ira Dawson, 1925-2009

The late James Ira Dawson has a history of being the first to make major achievements in his life. For example, he was the first Extension 1890 administrator at Alabama A&M University (AAMU). His influence on the Huntsville community in north Alabama is evident by the people who knew him, his life of service, and the facilities named in his honor. Those facilities include the Cooperative Extension Building on the AAMU campus.

Humble Beginnings

Dawson was born in Pike County, Alabama January 14, 1925, the third child of Jess and Charlotte Vann Dawson. Like many young people who grew up in small towns, he desired to leave for greater opportunities. After graduating from Helicon High School in Grady, Alabama, he earned bachelor and master degrees from Alabama A&M College and Tuskegee Institute, respectively. He then became the first African American to earn a doctorate in agriculture from Penn State University.

Dawson returned to Alabama after completing his doctorate, where he taught in the same high school he attended. Eventually, he and his family settled in north Alabama.

Early Extension Focus

At AAMU, Dawson served as a professor, dean, department chair, and, ultimately, as the 1890 Extension director. The Cooperative Extension program was established and flourished under his leadership. It provided educational activities to residents in 12 counties across north Alabama. Programmatic areas included agriculture and natural resources, home economics, 4-H and youth development, and community resource development. At that time, more than 100,000 people, including disadvantaged audiences, were served each year.

Extension Achievements

It was Dawson and his dedicated staff who planted the seeds for current Extension programs. Major accomplishments under Dawson’s leadership are highlighted in the centennial report, A People and a Spirit Serving the Nations of the World (1990). These accomplishments include the following:

  • Ala-Tenn Vegetable Marketing Cooperative served vegetable and fruit producers in north Alabama and central Tennessee. This project covered some 500 acres and yielded $5 million in sales over a five-year period.
  • Small- and Home-Based Business Development program served more than 100 small businesses that generated an annual income of more than $500,000.
  • 4-H Summer Education and Youth Enrichment Program provided outreach to more than 3,100 youths ages 9 to 19. Youth participated in 4-H clubs and were involved in activities covering plant science, food and nutrition, clothing and textiles, animal science, and leadership and personal development.
  • The Rural Revitalization Conference focused on developing strategies to serve rural communities and would later become the Urban-Rural Interface Conference. This conference, with more than 20-year history, focused on issues that impacted rural and urban communities.

The No-Nonsense Leader

While much is known about Dawson’s educational and leadership pursuits, those who worked with him and knew him personally often describe him as a no-nonsense leader.

Looking back, his former boss, Extension Printshop Manager James Childress said, “Dawson was fair-minded, and had an open-door policy. He simply trusted staff to do their jobs.”

One of Dawson’s favorite sayings was “If I got time to watch you, then I’m not doing my job.”

Dawson also consulted at several land-grant institutions across the nation. After retiring from AAMU, he remained active in various professional and community organizations and was elected five times to serve on the Huntsville City School Board.

Dawson passed away December 7, 2009. While he grew up in a small Alabama town, he was able to go on to achieve great things. In simple words, he became a historymaker.