It is with great sadness that the DC History Center announces the passing of former trustee and public relations professional Russell A. Dawson. He was 72.
Mr. Dawson served on the Board of the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. from 2006 to 2016. Despite his long battle with Parkinson’s disease, he continued to advise and support the organization. He was a frequent attendee at public lectures and field trips, and whenever a big event was on the horizon, he stepped up with valuable advice.
“Russ didn’t talk much in Board meetings,” recalls Board Chair Julie Koczela. “He was a calming, soft-spoken presence.”
“It was surprising how mild-mannered he was for a PR guy,” recalls former Interim Administrator Adam Lewis. “But he was quiet with fortitude.” Lewis remembers Mr. Dawson as “one of those people who was always there, even when the days were dark. He helped the Historical Society communicate with the public when [organizationally] things were difficult. He showed us how to send out press releases” that were frank about missteps but helped rebuild the public’s trust.
Mr. Dawson was a proud fifth-generation Washingtonian with a passion for U.S. history, especially the history of his hometown. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was awarded a Purple Heart. A graduate of the University of Maryland, he pursued journalism here with Business Publishers, Inc., then went on to public affairs work at the National Criminal Justice Association. From 1983 to 1990, he served as press secretary to the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. He left the EPA to become a partner at Potomac Communications Group, a local PR company, retiring in 2011.
Notes Mr. Dawson’s widow, Charlotte, “For him the Historical Society brought to life the city’s past, its people, and the many neighborhoods . . . . [It] was a natural home for Russ to share his passion and to help educate and promote Washington, DC’s past.”
On behalf of the staff and board of the DC History Center, Trustee Chair Julie Koczela extends sincere condolences to the family of Russell A. Dawson and gratitude for his years of service to the organization.