Atty Warren Hope Dawson

Attorney Dawson made his heavenly transition to glory, on Saturday, November 2, 2024, after a short-termed illness, while still actively practicing law in Tampa, Florida. The Celebration of the Life & Legacy of Attorney Warren Hope Dawson, Tampa’s well-known civil rights lawyer, will be held on Saturday, November 16, 2024, beginning at 1:00 p.m., @ Allen Temple A.M.E. Church (Reverend Doctor Glen B. Dames, Jr., Pastors), 2101 Lowe St, Tampa, FL 33605, with Rev. Dr. Patricia S. Wallace, Officiating and Presiding Elder Jimmie Thompson, Eulogist.

Attorney Dawson was born on Tuesday, October 17, 1939, in Mulberry, Florida to the late Japhus Lloyd Dawson, Sr., and the late Naomi Warren Dawson. Attorney Dawson was educated through the Polk County, Florida School system, attending and graduating Salutatorian in 1954 from J.R.E. Lee School (now Mulberry Middle School) and graduating in 1957 from Union Academy High School, Bartow, FL. He further matriculated at Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, FL, where he was known as “The Voice of the Marching Hundred”.  Attorney Dawson graduated FAMU in 1961 majoring in Political Science and minoring in Economics. In 2011 Attorney Dawson was awarded the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from FAMU.  In June of 1966, he Graduated from Howard Law School with a Juris Doctor Degree.

In 1961, after service as one of the few commissioned officers in the U.S. Army Reserve – Attorney Dawson entered active-duty service in the U.S. Army and retired as a 1st Lieutenant Colonel.

Warren Hope Dawson was first and foremost a family man- he married his one and only wife of 58 years, Joan Brown Dawson, on August 8, 1966, in her hometown of New Bern, North Carolina. The couple welcomed the addition of their one and only daughter, Wendy Hope Dawson Bostic, in 1976.

Attorney Dawson was a man of faith – his church affiliation was the Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church, Mulberry, FL. His diligent work in the 11th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, lead him to be elected in 2016 to the Judicial Council of the AME Church during the 200-Year Anniversary of the church in Philadelphia, PA.  He served in that capacity until August of 2024.

Attorney Dawson was a force within himself – he referred to himself as an “African Legal Eagle” because eagles are like leaders, they don’t flock. You find them one at a time. The “Eagle” notion was his key to endurance amid intense challenges. The image of an African Eagle helped him to stay focused, to rise above the noise and to land with the confidence of an African warrior.  Some of his life-long friends referred to him as “Dee”, “My-Rock,” “Jazzmoe,” “Dee Dawson,” “Tampa Red,” “Florida Slim,” “The Southern Report” among other names.  No matter the interaction a person had with him, Attorney Dawson definitely an made impact on them.

Attorney Dawson was a man for the people – during his 57 years of practice he fought numerous battles politically and legally to advance civil rights for black people in Tampa Bay, including the desegregation of schools and preservation of voting rights.

Attorney Dawson was a man who believed in sharing knowledge - during his 57 years of practice, he mentored and took on many young lawyers as his associates most of whom have become very prominent attorneys (and some Judges) in the city of Tampa, the State of Florida, and across the United States.

ATTORNEY WARREN HOPE DAWSON WAS A LOCAL AND NATIONAL TREASURE.

The listings below are representative, not exhaustive, of the extent of Attorney Dawson’s actual experience, activities, affiliations, recognitions, or awards:

After being admitted to the Bar in 1967- Attorney Dawson hung his shingle sign over the door at 3556 N. 29th Street, Tampa FL, and began his private practice.

In 1967, Dawson became the city's first black Assistant City Attorney for the City of Tampa – and may be the first black attorney to hold such position in the South.

In 1974, Attorney Dawson became the lead counsel for the Plaintiffs for 27 years in the now famous lawsuit known as Manning vs. the School Board of Hillsborough County.  The Plaintiff class consisted of "all minor Black children and their parents residing in Hillsborough County." In that role, he vigorously represented the Plaintiff class and was responsible for monitoring and enforcing the desegregation Orders handed down by the Federal Courts.

24 of  the 27 years (1974-1998) that Attorney Dawson litigated the Manning case - he also fought, without compensation, working to eliminate the dual (one white and one black) school systems in the public schools of Hillsborough County, Florida.

In 1983, his leadership among lawyers was recognized by his election as President of The National Bar Association. In that same year, Ebony Magazine recognized Attorney Dawson as one of the “100 Most Influential Black Americans”.

Before the 1990 Super Bowl in Tampa, Attorney Dawson pushed for the integration of the Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla.

In Attorney Dawson’s honor, the Warren Hope Dawson Elementary School, a $20 Million Dollar state-of-the-art public school for children in grades Pre-K through 5th, was established by the Hillsborough County School Board in the Riverview community. The school received its first students in August of 2017.

And in 2021, he authored his autobiography entitled “The Journey of An African Legal Eagle”.

RECOGNITIONS AND AWARDS:

"The 100 Most Influential Blacks in America", Ebony  Magazine, May 1983 • "The Whitney M. Young, Jr., Memorial Award", Tampa Urban League • "Unsung Hero Award", Tampa Organization on Black Affairs, February 1991 •  "Francisco A. Rodriguez Civil Rights Award", George Edgecomb Bar Association, May 1991 • "Gertrude E. Rush Award", National Bar Association, April 1992 •  "Distinguished Alumni Award", Florida A & M University, April 1992 • Recipient, "MLK Drum Major for Justice Award", Federal MLK Holiday Commission, January 1993  •  “Michael A. Fogarty Memorial   ?In The Trenches’ Award”, Hillsborough County Bar Association, April, 2001  •  National Bar Association Hall of Fame, August 2007 •“Community Hero Award” Tampa Bay Lighting NHL Foundation, May 2018.

ORGANIZED BAR AFFILIATIONS:  

The Florida Bar •The District of Columbia Bar •National Bar Association • American Bar Association • Hillsborough County Bar Association •George Edgecomb Bar Association    

ORGANIZED BAR ACTIVITIES:

Past President & Life Member, National Bar Association •Life Member, The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation •Past President, Howard University National Law Alumni Association •Past Member, The Florida Supreme Court Bench & Bar Commission

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

Cooperating Attorney, NAACP Legal Defense Fund •Past General Counsel, Tampa Housing Authority  •Outside Counsel, General Motors Acceptance Corporation •Contract Counsel, Holland & Knight, LLP •Co-Bond Counsel, Schifino & Fleischer, P.A • Past Chairman, City of Tampa Unified Construction Trades Board • Past Chairman, Hillsborough County Civil Service Board • Past Member, Board of Trustees, Hillsborough Community College

PERSONAL AFFILIATIONS:

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.  • The Florida Guardsmen • The Saturday Moring Breakfast Group • Tampa Organization of Black Affairs (TOBA) • Past Member of the Board of Directors - WMNF Community Radio

Attorney Warren Hope Dawson was preceded in death by his father, Japhus Lloyd Dawson, Sr.; his mother, Naomi Warren Dawson; his brother, Japhus Lloyd Dawson, Jr., and his son, Kenneth Borders, Sr.

He leaves to cherish his fond memories: his devoted wife, Joan Brown Dawson, his daughter, Wendy Hope Dawson Bostic (Clarence); his grandchildren: Ashely Bostic,  Clarence J. Bostic,  Katrena Finklin (Tarik),Kenneth Borders, Jr., and Iris Hinson;  Ten (10) Great Grandchildren; Six (6) Great- great Grandchildren; Nieces: Nina Danzey-McKee (Steve), Crista Dawson, Wanda Brown (Chuck), Alline Rivers (Namon), and Celest Hurst, and Saundra Gaulman; citizen from the cities of Mulberry, Bartow and Tampa along with a host of cousins, family and friends.

 On Friday, November 15, 2024, beginning at 4:30 p.m., The Gamma Zeta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., will be conducting the Omega Service, at Allen Temple A.M.E. Church, 2101 Lowe St, Tampa, FL 33605. This service will be open to the family, close family friends and members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Public Viewing and Visitation, November 15, 2024, 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., at Allen Temple A.M.E. Church, 2101 Lowe St, Tampa, FL 33605

Arrangements entrusted to Ray Williams Funeral Home, Rhodes & Northern

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