14 Facts About Aaron Dixon

Aaron L Dixon was born on January 2,1949 and is an American activist and a former captain of the Seattle chapter of the Black Panther Party for its initial four years.

King's assassination, on April 4,1968, deeply affected Aaron Dixon and propelled him towards the Black Power Movement.

Aaron Dixon became involved in electoral politics when he worked on the mayoral campaign of Lionel Wilson, who was elected as the first black mayor of Oakland, California in 1977.

Aaron Dixon is the father of six and lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

On March 9,2006, Aaron Dixon announced his decision to seek the Green Party's nomination for US Senate, challenging incumbent Maria Cantwell on her continued support for the US presence in Iraq and the USA PATRIOT Act.

Aaron Dixon's platform included a call for immediate withdrawal from Iraq, the repeal of the PATRIOT Act, support of same-sex marriage, the implementation of a system of universal single-payer health care, the end the war on drugs and a renewed focus on the issue of poverty.

On May 13,2006, Aaron Dixon was nominated as the Green Party of Washington State's nominee for the US Senate.

On July 10,2006, the Secretary of State's office announced that the Dixon campaign had gathered the appropriate nomination signatures and that Aaron Dixon would appear on the November ballot.

Negative reactions from other Democrats, who cited the vote splitting that Aaron Dixon would have on Cantwell's voters, thus aiding the pro-Iraq War Republican candidate.

Aaron Dixon faced criticism for having criminal charges on his record, most for traffic violations, and owing the city and county substantial fines as a result.

Public records revealed that Aaron Dixon: had only ever voted once in King County, in 1998; was not married to his claimed wife, and was still married to a different woman; and owed several thousand dollars to another former spouse for child support payments.

Aaron Dixon described these as additional costs in addition to his agreed payments, and indicated he was working to pay the debt.

Aaron Dixon did not meet the sponsors' criteria of public support or fundraising to participate in a televised debate of the Senate candidates to be held on October 17,2006, sponsored by various news outlets and civic organizations in King County; to take part, candidates had to have garnered 10 percent of the tally in a scientific poll; be the nominated candidate of a party that won 10 percent of the vote in the last election; or have raised at least $1.2 million.

In 2012, Aaron Dixon published a memoir, My People Are Rising: Memoir of a Black Panther Party Captain.