Arrington Dixon
American politician (born 1942)
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Arrington Liggins Dixon (born December 3, 1942) is an American politician who is a former chair and member of the Council of the District of Columbia of Washington, D.C.
Arrington Dixon | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Council of the District of Columbia from the at-large district | |
| In office August 16, 1997 – December 15, 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Linda Cropp |
| Succeeded by | David Catania |
| 2nd Chair of the Council of the District of Columbia | |
| In office January 2, 1979 – January 2, 1983 | |
| Preceded by | Sterling Tucker |
| Succeeded by | David A. Clarke |
| Member of the Council of the District of Columbia from Ward 4 | |
| In office January 2, 1975 – January 2, 1979 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Charlene Drew Jarvis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Arrington Liggins Dixon December 3, 1942 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Howard University (BA) George Washington University (JD) |
Early years
Dixon was born on December 3, 1942, in Anacostia in Washington, D.C., to James and Sally Dixon.[1][2][3]
Council of the District of Columbia
1975–1979
In November 1974, Dixon was chosen to represent Ward 4 when voters elected the first members of the Council of the District of Columbia, the legislature of the city's new home rule government.[4] The initial term for the Ward 4 seat, like those for half the council seats, was only 2 years, to provide for staggered council elections in later years,[5] but in 1976 Dixon was reelected to a full four-year term.[4]
1979–1983
In 1978, council chairman Sterling Tucker ran for mayor rather than seeking reelection.[6] Dixon, who was halfway through his Ward 4 term, decided to run for Chair of the Council and won. He served 4 years. In 1982, Dixon ran for re-election, but he was defeated in the Democratic primary by David A. Clarke.[6]
Dixon was later appointed by Mayor Marion Barry to serve as a public member of the National Capital Planning Commission.
1997
More than a decade later, Dixon returned to the council as an at-large member for a few months in 1997 when he was chosen in August by the District of Columbia Democratic State Committee to replace Linda Cropp, who had vacated her at-large seat to become chairman.[7] The appointment lasted only until a December special election, in which he was defeated by then-Republican David Catania.[8] Catania was sworn in on December 15, 1997.[9]
Personal life
In 1966, he married Sharon Pratt Kelly, and they had daughters Aimee and Drew. His daughters were born in 1968 and 1970.[10][11] The couple divorced in 1982 after sixteen years of marriage.[10]