Oral history interview with Aaron Dixon

Oral history interview with Aaron Dixon, 1970

Overview of the Collection

Interviewee: Dixon, Aaron Floyd
Title: Oral history interview with Aaron Dixon
Dates: 1970 (inclusive)
19701970
Quantity: 1 sound cassette (ca. 60 min.) plus 1 transcript (21 pages)
Collection Number: 1422 (Accession No. 1422-001)
Summary: Interview of a co-founder of the Black Panther Party of Seattle
Repository: University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions: Open to all users.
Languages: English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Co-founder of the Black Panther Party of Seattle.

Dixon was born ca. 1951 and moved to Seattle from Chicago in 1958. He attended Seattle public schools, graduating from Garfield High School. He also attended the University of Washington for two years. In 1968, Dixon and his younger brother, Elmer, founded the Black Panther Party of Seattle and he served as its first Captain. He was recruited to work at the national level of the Party in 1970.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Tape recorded interview conducted by James W. Johnson, Afro-American History Project Coordinator, on 11 July 1970.

Dixon discusses the history and philosophy of the National Black Panther Party, founded in 1966 and the Seattle branch of the Party, founded in 1968. He outlines the Party's programs and tactics, and comments on the 1969 purge of members which harmed the Party's image. He refers briefly to several international, national, and local public figures, including Curtis Harris, who unsuccessfully campaigned for local political office in 1968. Tape concludes with a statement of Dixon's views about the Black Panther Party and the future for Blacks in the United States.

Mention made on tape of following individuals/groups: Nixon, Agnew, Mitchell; Stokeley Carmichael, Bungie Carter, Fidel Castro, Mark Clark, Eldridge Cleaver, Bill Cosby, Kim Elsung, Fred Hampton, Curtis Harris, Bobby Hutton, Lenin, Julius Lester, Karl Marx, Harriet Tubman; Black Student Union, SNCC, Revolution to Action Movement, Afro-American Police Guild (Chicago), Bobby Seale, Huey Newton, Albert Williams, Mayor Wes Uhlman and police chief Gaines.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Alternative Forms Available

Listen to the audio recording and view the transcript of this interview on the Libraries Digital Collections site.

Restrictions on Use

Informant's/creator's rights dedicated to the public. May be used for research, instruction, publication or similar purposes.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Interview by James W. Johnson, Afro-American History Project Coordinator, 7/11/1970

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