Sheila Dixon (1953- )

March 19, 2007 
/ Contributed By: Allison Espiritu

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Sheila Dixon

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On January 17, 2007, Sheila Dixon became the first woman mayor of Baltimore, after former Mayor Martin O’Malley was inaugurated as Maryland’s governor.  Born on December 17, 1953, Dixon is a lifelong resident of Baltimore having grown up in the Ashburton neighborhood of West Baltimore.  Her father was a car dealer and her mother a homemaker. Dixon was educated in the city’s public school system and later earned a bachelor’s degree from Towson University. She received a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University.

Dixon first worked as an elementary school teacher and Head Start program educator for adult instruction. She then spent 17 years with the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, as an international trade specialist.

Shelia Dixon’s political career began in 1986 when at 33 she was elected to the Baltimore City Democratic State Central Committee to represent the 40th Legislative District.  At age 34 she was elected to the Baltimore City Council, representing the 4th Council District, a position she would hold for 12 years.  During her years on the Council Dixon advocated programs that improved the health of children.  She particularly emphasized the need for a nutritious diet and regular exercise to combat the growing problem of childhood obesity.

In 1988, she married Thomas E. Hampton.  The couple had two children, Jasmine and Joshua, before they divorced in 2006.

In 1999 Dixon became the first African American woman president of the City Council and eight years later was elevated to the mayor’s office.  Although Shelia Dixon is not the first female mayor in the United States, she was the first African American woman mayor to lead a city with more than 600,000 people.

In January 2010 Dixon resigned as Mayor of Baltimore after she was convicted in December 2009 of embezzling gift cards from needy families.

About the Author

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Allison Espiritu graduated from the University of Washington in 2007 with a degree in journalism. She has worked for a number of Seattle area newspapers including the International Examiner, OnePhilippines, the North Seattle Herald Outlook, and the Madison Park Times. Her feature stories have covered diverse topics ranging from alcohol awareness programs in the Seattle Middle School and the local impact of the Great American Smoke Out program to a discussion of the role of local restaurants in feeding the homeless. Allison is currently working at the Seattle Times as a News Lead Assistant.

CITE THIS ENTRY IN APA FORMAT:

Espiritu, A. (2007, March 19). Sheila Dixon (1953- ). BlackPast.org. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/dixon-sheila-1953/

Source of the Author's Information:

Gerald G. Jackson, We’re Not Going to Take It Anymore (U.S.: Beckham Publications Group, 2005); http://baltimore.about.com; http://www.ci.baltimore/md/.us.

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