Aaron Dixon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aaron Dixon
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Dixon in 2012
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| Personal details | |
| Born | January 2, 1949 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Residences | Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Occupation | Political Activist |
Aaron L. Dixon (born January 2, 1949) is an American activist. He is known for being a leader in the Seattle chapter of the Black Panther Party for its first four years. In 2006, he ran for the United States Senate in Washington state as a member of the Green Party.
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Early Life and Activism
When Aaron Dixon was a teenager, he joined marches with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. They were protesting to end unfair housing rules in Seattle. He also volunteered for a program that used buses to help integrate schools, allowing students of all races to learn together.
The assassination of Dr. King in 1968 was a very important event for Dixon. It inspired him to get involved with the Black Power Movement. Soon after, Dixon and his brother Elmer went to a conference in San Francisco. While there, they met leaders of the Black Panther Party, like Bobby Seale and Kathleen Cleaver.
Inspired by what he saw, Dixon and his brother started the first chapter of the Black Panther Party outside of California, right in their hometown of Seattle.
Community Work with the Black Panthers
As a member of the Black Panthers, Dixon helped his community in many ways. He started the Free Breakfast for Children program, which gave free meals to thousands of children. He also helped open a free clinic that offered medical and legal help to people who couldn't afford it. This clinic is still helping people today and is now called the Carolyn Downs Family Medical Center.
The Panthers also organized protests against businesses and groups they believed were being unfair to people.
Later, Dixon became involved in politics. He worked on the campaign for Lionel Wilson, who became the first black mayor of Oakland, California, in 1977.
Helping the Community
After his time with the Panthers, Dixon continued to help people. He worked for non-profit groups that focused on helping homeless youth and preventing violence.
In 2002, he started an organization called Central House. It provides a safe place for homeless young adults to live while they get back on their feet. Central House also runs a Youth Leadership Project in four Seattle high schools. This project teaches young people to think positively, graduate from high school, and take control of their futures. It also shows them how important it is to serve their community.
Dixon is a father of six and now lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
2006 U.S. Senate Campaign
In 2006, Aaron Dixon decided to run for the U.S. Senate. He was the nominee for the Green Party. He challenged the current senator, Maria Cantwell, because he disagreed with her support for the U.S. military presence in Iraq and the USA PATRIOT Act.
What Dixon Campaigned For
Dixon's campaign focused on several key issues. He wanted:
- To bring U.S. troops home from Iraq immediately.
- To repeal the PATRIOT Act, a law that gave the government more power to watch citizens.
- To support same-sex marriage.
- To create a healthcare system where everyone is covered.
- To end the war on drugs.
- To focus more on helping people living in poverty.
Debate and Election Results
Dixon was not allowed to join a major televised debate because he did not meet the sponsors' rules for support or fundraising. He and his supporters protested this decision outside the TV studio where the debate was held.
In the election, Dixon received over 21,000 votes. The results were:
- Maria Cantwell (Democrat) - 1,184,659 (56.81%)
- Mike McGavick (Republican) - 832,106 (39.91%)
- Bruce Guthrie (Libertarian) - 29,331 (1.41%)
- Aaron Dixon (Green) - 21,254 (1.02%)
- Robin Adair (Independent) - 16,384 (0.79%)
- Write-ins - 1,445 (0.07%)
Life After the Campaign
After the election, Dixon turned his campaign group into the Center for Social Justice. The center organized events like an anti-war march in Seattle in 2007, which thousands of people attended.
In 2012, Dixon published a book about his life called My People Are Rising: Memoir of a Black Panther Party Captain.
See also
- List of African-American United States Senate candidates
