Interview with Aaron Dixon, former captain of the Seattle Chapter of the Black Panther Party

B: “Hello Mr. Dixon! It’s great to meet you!”

AD: “Nice to meet you as well, now what is this interview for?”

B: “So this is for the BPP Legacy group’s efforts to begin the Demonstration Center here in Seattle.”

AD: “Ah, okay.”

B: “And, my name is Bennett, and I’m very excited to be getting to interview you today. And, just FYI, I am recording. So, this should be pretty brief, maybe 30 minutes total, at max, but…”

AD: “Okay, I’m ready.”

B: “Excellent. So, to start off with, can you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your role in the Legacy Group and the work you’re involved in getting the Demonstration Center started in the coming months?”

AD: “Okay, yeah, my name is Aaron Dixon and I was the captain of the Seattle chapter of the Black Panther Party, and I’m the one who came up with the idea, the concept, that we need to have a museum that depicted the history of the Seattle Black Panther Party.”

B: “So, it was your idea; you were involved from the start, it sounds like; how did your journey with the Legacy Group begin? When did that initiative start?”

AD: “Well, initially I had put together (pause) a board, but I was living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, so I wasn’t able to follow up with things and kinda let my brother (Elmer Dixon) start working on it. So he hooked up with Ruby Love and a few other people and they started, you know, moving the process forward.”

B: “Fantastic. So, how was Ruby first involved in this process, like, is she a local community figure, or?”

AD: “Ruby’s from Chicago, but she’s been working here, she’s been living here in Seattle with her family. And she’s a consultant; both my brother and her; and they met in the sphere of consulting.”

B: “So, this initial.. The creation of the legacy group began with you creating a board of people; what year was this, and why after a period of inactivity of the Black Panthers, what inspired this to begin again?”

AD: “What inspired it was the, our 50th anniversary. Of the Seattle Black Panther Party. And we had an exhibit at the African American Museum (3:01 in audio recording); that exhibit won an award and it was held over for an extra three months. So, I thought that it would be very important for us to start thinking about creating a museum. I was working with some people in Oakland, California who were also - had also been talking about creating a Black Panther Museum. In fact, I was on the board for a while and then I stepped down from the board because of conflicts. And I organized a committee to work alongside the board in Oakland, so I also had to drop out from that because there were… some things based on principles that I didn’t agree with, so I decided to put my- most of my efforts into working and creating the vision in Seattle.”

B: “Absolutely. (4:03 in audio recording)  And if you do want to get into that a little bit, what was the disagreement there that led you to…”

AD: “Well, Fredrika Newton, who was the second wife of Huey P. Newton; (she) was not a member of the Black Panther Party, and a lot of people know that in Oakland and I had expressed to her that I felt it was important that she write a statement about what her true role and connection with the party (was). She said she was going to do it but she didn’t do it. And I found myself being excluded from things that I didn’t know about that were happening with the board and so I wrote a statement and I resigned. What I decided to do was organize - put together an organizing committee of Panther members I knew in the Bay Area to work alongside with her; things simmered and things were happening; we weren’t being kept abreast of what was going on. I think that what, for me, what really - the straw that broke the camel’s back for me was I asked her to write a statement about Gaza - in support of Gaza - because I knew Huey had a great love for the Palestinian people. And that’s how I knew about (the) Palestinian movement was in the Black Panther Party newspaper. She didn’t want to do it because it would affect - they were trying to get a designation from Biden around the Parks department (5:55) and she didn’t want to do it so I decided I - I couldn’t, on principle, continue, and I know that, Huey, had he been around, he would not have - the Party never would have done that. They would have never shied away from some controversy because … some political figure was standing in the way. It was contrary to the principles of the Black Panther Party, so that was why I stepped away.”

B: “Absolutely, and thank you very much, it was very interesting. To bring it back to the current Interpretive and Research Center - the Demonstration Center - that’s opening this fall, how long has that been in development?”

AD: “The Interpretive Center? I would say, over the last year, year or so, y’know. A year prior we had went on a tour of museums - Black history museums around the country - to get some ideas on museums and things of this nature. The people in Oakland had opened up the demonstration site, the city gave them a building they could use (7:39), so we decided to also open up our demonstration cite while we were moving forward with the permanent site.”

B: “Tell me a little bit more about this permanent site and the projects and initiatives involved with that.”

AD: “Well, uh, you know, we have been looking at different locations. We had been negotiating with a group for a site on Cherry Street and we felt that would be really a great location. But we had a lot of problems with them, they kept holding us up and not (being) really honest with us. So we have began the search and looking at other locations. So (pause) that’s what we’re doing right now. We’re still looking for a permanent location. What we want to do - and what I suggested we do - it would be important for us to think about creating some housing on top of the building… since housing is such a crucial issue throughout America, particularly in the Black communities (9:03). Also Elaine Brown, the chairperson of the Black Panther Party and first woman to lead the Black Panther Party, has built a 79-unit complex (unclear) people with business on the bottom and a rooftop garden. So she kind of put the idea in my head to also think about creating some housing with our project. So that’s kind of where we’re at with that.”

B: “So, to circle back a little bit… So you went to Black history museums in the U.S. What were you struck by - was there any really great museum that you were like, “Wow, some of this stuff I want to take with me when I work on my museum”?”

AD: “A few of them were really good. I think one of the best museums we went to was the one in Memphis (TN), I think it was the National Civil Rights Museum of History, and, (9:50) it was really very immersive and it made you feel like you were there. They had the bus that Rosa Parks where she was refused to sit down where she wanted to sit; there were a lot of great things that they had in that museum that gave me a lot of good ideas. Then we visited the museum in Monroe, Louisiana (correction, per Elmer: this particular site was actually in Montgomery, Alabama) I think it’s called the Legacy Site. That museum was the most impactful because it really showed the history of slavery and the slave trade and how brutal and how horrible it was. It was almost difficult - matter of fact, I couldn’t go through the whole thing. I had to, you know, leave. And like I said it was a very impactful exhibit. And both of those museums - the one in Memphis and the one in Monroe - thousands of people come from around the world to go to those two museums. And the one in Monroe decided that they were going to build a hotel across the street from the museum because they had so many people there. There were some museums - I think one in South Carolina; I didn’t go with the other people, they visited some other libraries/museums that were very good as well.

B: “I heard about that, was that their trip to go to the Museum Convention event?”

AD: “No, that was separate. It was this past summer.” (12:02)

B: “What does a typical workday on the project look like for you; who are you collaborating with? Museum professionals, construction workers, city government employees, you know… How has that experience been?”

AD: “Our attention is focused on opening the Demonstration site. So I’m the head of the program committee. I have a group of young people that I’m working with to develop the program because our open house is coming up (correction from Elmer: the date and time of the open house are not yet set and are subject to change; please stay tuned for an official announcement on this site) And Ruby and Elmer have been solidifying the location and doing some construction in the location and making all the arrangements so that we can move in, like raising the funds for the site. My primary job has been to help developing the program for the event that day and developing concepts or ideas of what we’re going to do once the program is open. My day is pretty busy. I’ve also been spending time trying to find a permanent location. (13:30 in audio) And that’s what I do. Also, we are turning our parents’ house into a historical landmark. And that’s something that was also my idea, (because) this is where the (Seattle) Black Panther Party Chapter started;  when Bobby Seale came to Seattle; Bobby Seale and George Murray, the Minister for Education; there were over twenty-five young people at the house over a two or three day party. This is where the Black Panther Party was launched, at my parents’ house. I thought it would be great for us to turn it into a historical landmark. Also, it’s one of the few homes that are still owned by Black residents that were here in the 50s. And that’s also something that is very important to preserve; not just the legacy of the party, but the legacy of the Black community that existed here in Madrona. 

B: “What are you most excited for/about as the opening of the demonstration center approaches?”

AD: “I’m excited about… well, just the whole thing, you know? People coming, and … we’re still working on what is going to be in the demonstration site, what it’s going to actually look like and what’s going to display. We haven’t gotten to that part yet. We (the program committee) are meeting with the museology committee next week- we’re going to have a board meeting down there and so… but I’m also very excited about the program we’ve put together and the program team has been working really hard to put a really solid, dynamite, good program together.”

B: “And tell me more about the program - what exactly is involved with the program?”

AD: “Well, uh, it’s a lot of things, a lot of things. One of the things we are going to do is recognize two of the oldest members of the Seattle chapter. Recognize them and give them a gift. We’re also recognizing - what we came up with is the Panther Power Award - which goes to people in the community who have been doing outstanding work for the Black community. So we have three persons - three women - who have no association - well one of them does have a connection with the Party, but - they’re just people in the community who have been doing some very powerful work in Seattle. So we feel that we as the Black Panther Party recognize people in the community who are doing outstanding work. And let me see… Elmer and Ruby are going to talk about the process of the museum and where it came from. It’s just - it’s a lot in the program and I can’t remember everything, but I think it’s going to be very good.

B: “One question I had - so it’s the Interpretive and Research Center, which is the name I’ve seen (for the demonstration center) - what does the research part entail specifically?”

AD: “Research is so people who want to do research on the Party - because a lot of young people do want to do research the Party - is having, you know, material in there that (inaudible) could look at. A good friend of ours has the complete collection of the Black Panther Newspaper; we’re trying to work something out with him so that that information will be available to people who want to do research on the Black Panther Party. And we’ll have places where people can meet - meeting rooms, people can come together and work on some of the programs that we hope to initiate. Maybe some ideas that people have from the community that we can see and can work on, just providing a space for young people… all those type things. 

B: “You’re already getting into this, but in your view what impact do you think the interpretive and research center will have on the community?”

AD: “I think it’ll have a very good impact because the Black Panther Party, since it stopped being an entity, it’s left a tremendous void in the community, (19:51) particularly for young people who are searching for answers and searching for ways to improve things in their community and need some guidance and leadership. I think those are the things that we are looking forward to doing; and having events and acknowledging certain dates that are important to the Black Panther Party, acknowledging people like Mumia, who is still in prison (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mumia-Abu-Jamal - see this entry for more information)- one of the longest-serving former Black Panthers in prison today. Also, you know, remembering Assata Shakur (see https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/assata-shakur-fugitive-black-activist-who-escaped-life-sentence-for-killing-police-officer-dies-in-cuba for a recent article discussing her life), who, though she was a member of the Black Liberation party before that, she was in the Black Panther Party (inaudible). And commemorating Black August, which is a month that a lot of activists around the country celebrate because that was - a lot of things happened in the month of August, but one of the major things was Johnathan Jackson getting killed, and George Jackson being killed as well (https://www.freedomarchives.org/George%20Jackson.html). Making sure we remember those people who made contributions to the Black Panther Party - you know Bunchy Carter, who was head of the Southern California chapter, and Fred Hampton, head of the Chicago chapter, and other people as well. (21:51)

B: “Absolutely. And, something you mentioned several times there was young people. The focus on young people is understandable, and as a young person myself I appreciate it. So, what sort of things are you thinking about doing to specifically get young people excited and involved? Or do you think people are already interested (which I think as well.)”

AD: “Yeah, yeah they are. You know, having events and organizing them around certain things - police brutality is still and always will be a big issue, and having the space for people to come in and talk about that and talk about some solutions and have some Black Panther Party members to give some ideas and some solutions around police brutality. Also, whatever other issues people - young people - may have, or may be interested in, to try and address; not just young people, (23:02 audio) but anybody in the community or outside the community that is looking for answers and looking for guidance - you know, the Black Panther Party was the vanguard of the movement in the 60s and the 70s. We believed in a broad coalition and worked with a lot of groups, a lot of different communities…”

B: “100%. The rainbow coalition, as it was called.”

AD: “We were the guiding force of all of those movements, all of those (inaudible) were looking for answers and leadership and guidance.”

B: “And that makes sense. I only have one more question - if the Legacy Group could only send one message to the public at large with the Demonstration Center, what would that message be?”

AD: “That message would be that the people have the power to create change. It is about having some vision and coming together collectively; it’s about having and understanding principles. But the main thing is the power of the people. That’s why we say all power to the people; because, eventually, the power resides in the hands of the people, not the politicians and those few spokespeople.”

B: “Was there anything else you wanted to mention?”

AD: “No, I think we’re done.”

(end of interview)