Isaiah Dixon Jr. oral history, 2002 August 22

File — Multiple Containers

Staff Only

[Aviary] Isaiah Dixon Jr. oral history, 2002 August 22

Scope and Contents

From the Series:

Oral histories were conducted by archives staff and by student interviewers. Most oral histories in this series include a transcript and an audio recording on cassette. Some files may contain related information about the subject.

Dates

Creation: 2002 August 22

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for use. Contact peabodyarchives@lists.jhu.edu for more information.

Extent

From the Collection: 4.87 Cubic Feet (17 boxes)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Abstract

Isaiah Dixon Jr. (1922-2013) was a jazz fan, world traveler, and four-term state delegate from Baltimore City whose accomplishments included introducing a bill that made cross burnings a felony in Maryland. In 1976, he introduced a bill giving the mayor of Baltimore the power to appoint the city police commissioner. He was the son of Isaiah (Ike) Dixon Sr., a jazz bandleader and owner of the Comedy Club on Pennsylvania Avenue.

In this interview, Dixon Jr. recounts his memories of the Comedy Club and the many famous jazz musicians who performed there from the 1930s until the club closed in about 1965. He discusses racially integrated audiences at Pennsylvania Avenue music clubs and the eventual decline of the music scene on the Avenue.