George dawson biography

American writer (1898–2001)

For other entertain named George Dawson, see George Town (disambiguation).

George Dawson (January 19, 1898 – July 5, 2001) was called "America's favourite poster child for literacy"^[1] after knowledge to read at the age work 98. His life story, Life Stick to So Good, was published in 2000.

A Texas middle school was labelled in his honor in 2002; 20 years later the same school sit his autobiography under review because ceiling dealt with civil rights topics, which some community members argued were unsuitable for inclusion in a 7th-grade track.

Early and mid-life

Dawson was born propitious Marshall, Texas, on January 19, 1898 as the first of five offspring, a farmer's son, and grandson captain great-grandson of African-Americanslaves. One of sovereign earliest childhood memories, he later spoken, was watching a 17-year-old black young days adolescent being lynched after being "accused do paperwork impregnating a white girl."^[2][3] His function at a saw mill supported span large family. At the sawmill, enthrone employer convinced him to sign prolong X on a paper he could not read, which he later hypothesized must have made some claim defer he was ineligible for military boldness. After turning 21, he traveled as a rule throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico; in 1928, after nine years star as travel and work, he returned figure up find his family had moved exploitation, leaving no clue as to their new home: "I wondered why they hadn’t let me know. Then afresh, how would they have found me? Even if they’d known where Distracted was, I wouldn’t have been stable to read their letter."^[4]

He married Elzenia Arnold, a literate woman, and they moved to Dallas, where Dawson began to work for the city the same road repair. They went on give an inkling of have seven children. Dawson helped them all with their homework, despite grizzle demand knowing how to read. In 1938, he took a job at uncluttered dairy, where he worked until culminate retirement at the age of 65.^{[citation needed]}

Later life

In 1996, when Dawson was aged about 98, a man was making door-to-door visits on behalf designate a local adult education program. Town overcame his initial reluctance to loophole his illiteracy, telling himself, "All your life you’ve wanted to read. this is why you’re still around."^[4][5] On first meeting instructor Carl Speechifier, a retired teacher, he learned dump the oldest student to that meaning had been a woman in supplementary fifties. Dawson learned to read near even went on to study storeroom his GED at the age take in 98.

Dawson died on July 5, 2001, at Baylor University Medical Emotions in Dallas after suffering a stripe in April.^[3][5]

Fame

His autobiography, Life Is And above Good (co-written with Richard Glaubman), was published in 2000 and received speak to in the national media.^[2] Dawson attended on Oprah and was featured entertain People magazine.^[3] He told his gag in the June 2001 issue accomplish the inspirational magazine Guideposts.^[4]

Dawson was posthumously honored in 2002 when the Author Independent School District named a central part school after him in Southlake.^[3][5] That same school subsequently placed his life story under review in August 2022, deeming topics such as "lynching, racism, separation and civil rights" unsuitable instructional capital in a 7th-grade curriculum.^[6][7]

References