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| Press - AFJ In the News |
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Leader of Vision - Maj. Gen. Donald S. Dawson |
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New York, NY - January 2006 - With deep regret The American
Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) has learned of the passing of Maj.
Gen. Donald S. Dawson, our Chairman Emeritus and our former
President. Gen. Dawson died at his home in Bethesda, Maryland,
on Christmas Day at the age of 97.
Gen. Dawson was among the group who, in 1981, founded the AFJ.
Others included then-U.S. Ambassador Loren Lawrence, Jamaican
ambassador Sir Egerton Richardson, Mrs. Audrey Zauderer, and
Anne S. Sabo. Gen. Dawson became AFJ President after the departure
of his predecessor, Amb. Lawrence, in 1982, and held that position
until 1997. He was succeeded by the current President, Amb.
Glen A. Holden.
Gen. Dawson enjoyed a career of enormous versatility and success.
After voluntary military service in World War II, he became
Special Assistant to President Truman responsible for personnel
and appointments, was an architect of Mr. Truman's famous 1948
whistle-stop presidential campaign, and represented the President
at the inaugurations of President Getulio Vargas of Brazil (1951)
and President Adolfo Ruiz Cortines of Mexico (1952). From 1953
until his death, he was senior partner in Washington law firms
that bore his name. He served on the boards of directors of
the Harry S. Truman Library and innumerable other institutions,
was a frequent speaker at important gatherings, and held many
honors, both military and civilian. He continued his military
service in the Air Force Reserve, and was made a Reserve Major
General in 1966.
"He was also," says AFJ President Glen Holden, "a man of great
charm. I came to know him in 1964, and recall that his serious
side was accompanied by a strong sense of humor, a real asset
in a person with so many civic and other responsibilities. It
was at his urging that I became active in The American Friends
of Jamaica."
Anne F. Sabo, who founded the AFJ and directed it until 2003,
describes Gen. Dawson as "an international human rights activist
whose interest in humanity had no bounds." She cited his highly
visible support for the Hungarian Freedom Fighters.
Gen. Dawson became particularly interested in Jamaica in the
1980s; he was thus enthusiastic when Miss Sabo approached him
with the idea of forming The American Friends of Jamaica. His
leadership of the AFJ lasted 15 years. He eventually received
the Order of Distinction (Commander) from Jamaica's Governor
General, and, in 1995, the Martin Luther King, Jr., award from
the Jamaica-America Society in Kingston.
Says Amb. Holden, "Don Dawson's strong presence and dedicated
involvement in the AFJ in its formative years must surely be
considered one of the keys to our durability and success. We
owe him and Ginny Dawson a great deal, and we salute him as
a leader of vision and originality." Gen. Dawson will be buried
with military honors at Arlington National Cemetery, where a
service will be held in mid-February. |
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