Sheila Dixon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sheila Dixon
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Dixon in 2007
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| 49th Mayor of Baltimore | |
| In office January 17, 2007 – February 4, 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Martin O'Malley |
| Succeeded by | Stephanie Rawlings-Blake |
| President of the Baltimore City Council | |
| In office December 1999 – January 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Lawrence Bell |
| Succeeded by | Stephanie Rawlings-Blake |
| Member of the Baltimore City Council from the 4th District |
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| In office December 1987 – December 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Kweisi Mfume Michael Mitchell |
| Succeeded by | Catherine Pugh |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Sheila Ann Dixon
December 27, 1953 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Juan Dixon (nephew) |
| Education | Towson University (BA) Johns Hopkins University (MA) |
Sheila Ann Dixon (born December 27, 1953) is an American politician. She served as the 48th mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. She became mayor on January 17, 2007, after Mayor Martin O'Malley became governor.
Before becoming mayor, Dixon was the president of the Baltimore City Council. She finished the rest of the mayor's term and then won the mayoral election in November 2007. Sheila Dixon made history in Baltimore. She was the first African-American woman to lead the City Council. She was also Baltimore's first female mayor.
In 2009, Dixon faced legal challenges. She was accused of misusing gift cards. In December 2009, a jury found her responsible for one charge related to these gift cards. As part of an agreement, Dixon stepped down as mayor. Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who was then City Council president, became the new mayor.
Sheila Dixon has stayed involved in the Baltimore community. She ran for mayor again in 2016. She lost the Democratic Primary to Catherine Pugh. Dixon also ran as a write-in candidate in the general election but did not win. In the 2020 Baltimore mayoral election, she sought the Democratic nomination again. She narrowly lost to Brandon Scott. She ran for mayor a third time in 2024 but was defeated by Mayor Scott in the primary.
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Early Life and Education
Sheila Dixon was born on December 27, 1953. She grew up in the Ashburton neighborhood of West Baltimore. Her father, Phillip Dixon Sr., sold cars. Her mother, Winona Dixon, was active in their community.
Dixon went to public schools in Baltimore City. She graduated from Northwestern High School. She later earned a bachelor's degree from Towson University. She also received a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University.
Political Career
Starting in Government
After college, Dixon worked as an elementary school teacher. She also taught adults in the Head Start program. Later, she worked for 17 years as an international trade specialist. This job was with the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development.
In 1986, Dixon was elected to a local Democratic Party committee. In 1987, she won a seat on the Baltimore City Council. She represented the 4th Council District for twelve years.
A Memorable Moment
In 1991, during a Baltimore City Council meeting, Dixon waved her shoe. She said, "You've been running things for the last 20 years. Now the shoe is on the other foot." This moment showed her strong feelings about change. Some people saw it as a sign of division. Dixon later explained that she had "matured" since then. She said she now tries "to communicate better with individuals."
Leading the City Council
In 1999, Dixon was elected president of the Baltimore City Council. She was the first African-American woman to hold this important position. She won re-election for this role in 2003. She defeated her closest opponent, Catherine Pugh, by many votes.
Becoming Mayor of Baltimore
As City Council President, Dixon was next in line to become mayor. She became mayor when Martin O'Malley resigned. He had been elected governor of Maryland in November 2006.
During her time as mayor, Baltimore's crime rate saw a decrease. In 2007, Dixon introduced a plan to fight crime. This plan focused on community policing. It also aimed to target the most violent offenders. She appointed Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III. He supported her neighborhood-focused crime strategy.
In February 2008, the Baltimore City Police reported a sharp drop in homicides. There were 14 murders in January, the lowest monthly total in 30 years. By the end of 2008, the murder count was 234. This was a 17% reduction from the year before.
Dixon worked to increase police patrols. She also focused on stopping illegal guns. She secured money from federal and state governments for crime-fighting programs.
Several city projects were finished while Dixon was mayor. These included the Inner Harbor East community. The Legg Mason Tower and the Baltimore Hilton Hotel were also completed. As mayor, Dixon was part of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition.
2007 Mayoral Election
Dixon ran for a full term as mayor in the 2007 election. She won the Democratic Party primary in September. She had strong financial support for her campaign. Many public officials, unions, and newspapers supported her. These included The Baltimore Sun and The Baltimore Afro-American.
Crime was a major topic during the primary campaign. Dixon presented her crime plan to police officers. Her plan was different from previous Mayor Martin O'Malley's. It focused on community policing and catching violent offenders.
Dixon won the 2007 Baltimore Democratic Mayoral Primary. She received 63 percent of the votes. This almost guaranteed her a full term in the city. Baltimore is a city where most voters are Democrats. Dixon then won against Republican Elbert Henderson in the November general election. She became the first woman elected as mayor of Baltimore.
Legal Challenges and Resignation
In 2008, investigators looked into Dixon's finances. They examined gifts she received, including fur coats. They also looked at her spending habits. Two people connected to Dixon pleaded guilty to tax charges in 2008. They worked with prosecutors in the investigation.
On January 9, 2009, Dixon was formally accused of several charges. These included issues with gift cards and public conduct.
Trial and Verdict
In November 2009, Dixon's trial began. She was accused of misusing gift cards meant for needy families. On December 1, 2009, the jury reached a decision. Dixon was found not responsible for two major charges. She was found responsible for one charge. This was related to her use of over $600 worth of retail-store gift cards. The jury could not agree on another charge.
Stepping Down as Mayor
On January 6, 2010, Dixon announced her resignation as mayor. This was part of an agreement with prosecutors. Her resignation became effective on February 4, 2010. Under the agreement, she received probation. This allowed her to keep her pension. She was sentenced to four years of probation.
Dixon also had to donate $45,000 to the Bea Gaddy Foundation. She had to complete 500 hours of community service. She also agreed to sell gifts she received from developers. These included a fur coat and electronics. She agreed not to seek public office in Maryland during her probation.
Later Mayoral Campaigns
2016 Mayoral Election
In 2015, Dixon ran for mayor of Baltimore again. She was a leading candidate in the Democratic primary. However, Congressman Elijah Cummings supported her opponent, Catherine Pugh. Pugh won the Democratic primary with 37% of the vote. Dixon received 35% of the vote.
2020 Mayoral Election
On December 14, 2019, Dixon announced she was running for mayor in the 2020 election. She narrowly lost the Democratic primary to Brandon Scott on June 2, 2020.
2024 Mayoral Election
In September 2023, Dixon announced she would run for mayor of Baltimore once more. This set up another contest between Dixon and the current mayor, Brandon Scott. On May 14, 2024, she again lost the Democratic primary to Mayor Scott.
Personal Life
Sheila Dixon has two children, Jasmine and Joshua. She raised them as a single mom. She is divorced.
She is the aunt of professional basketball player Juan Dixon. Juan Dixon led the University of Maryland to a championship in 2002. Her nephew Jermaine Dixon played basketball for the University of Pittsburgh.
Dixon is an active member of Bethel A.M.E. Church. She serves on several boards. These include the Institute of Human Virology and the Walters Art Museum.
