Dawson Technical Institute is a unit of Kennedy-King College,
one of
the City Colleges of Chicago. The Institute began with a planning
grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA). During the
planning stage for a new skill center, a temporary facility was
located at 1819 West Pershing Road to house the vocational training
program. In the fall of 1968, the City Colleges of Chicago contracted
with the Thiokol Chemical Corporation to provide training and
instruction in drafting, clerk typing, bookkeeping and stenography.
While the Thiokol Corporation was providing training services for the
City Colleges of Chicago, the chancellor and members of his staff
worked with city and federal government representatives to develop a
permanent facility which was eventually to be located at 3901 South
State Street. The facility was designed as an occupational training
center.
In 1973 the building was dedicated as the William L. Dawson
Skill Center, under the direction of the Chicago Skill Center, later
known as the Chicago Urban Skills Institute. In 1985, Dawson Skill
Center became part of Chicago CityWide College and was renamed the
William L. Dawson Technical Institute. After the closure of City Wide
College, Dawson Technical Institute became a part of Harold Washington
College in 1993 and in 1995 was transferred to Kennedy King College. |
