Russel Alexander Dixon (February 24, 1898 – January 3, 1976) was the first African-American to earn an advanced degree in dentistry from Northwestern University and the first African American dean of Howard University College of Dentistry. [1] He was the longest serving dean in dental education, with a 35 year tenure from 1931 to 1966. [1]
Early life and education
Russel A. Dixon was born on February 24, 1898, in Kansas City, Missouri to father, William James Dixon, and mother Lillie Belle Tribue Dixon. [2] He attended Hampton Institute from 1919 to 1920, [1] but switched to Ferris Institute, where he completed an undergraduate degree from 1920 to 1924. [2] In 1929 he received his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from Northwestern University Dental School. [2] Furthermore, in 1933 he became the first African American to earn a Masters of Science in Dentistry from Northwestern University. [1] [2] In 1965, Dixon received an Honorary Doctorate from Ferris State University. [1]
Howard University School of Dentistry
Dixon became part of the Howard Dental School faculty in 1929 and was appointed Acting Dean of Howard Dental School in 1931. [3] [2] He was later appointed and remained dean until his retirement in 1966. [1] During his tenure he contributed greatly to the curriculum, enrolment requirements, academic preparation of the dental faculty, and planning of a new dental building. [2] He was committed to racial integration and gender equality in dental education. [2] By 1960, more than half of the US's 1,681 African American dentists were graduates of the Howard University College of Dentistry. [4]
Professional organizations and contributions
Dixon served many administrative and academic positions throughout his career. [2] [1] In 1949 he was appointed president of the PanAmerican Odontological Society and the National Dental Association. [2] He served on the Executive Council of the American Association of Dental Schools from 1953 to 1967. [2] In 1963, President John F. Kennedy appointed him to a four-year term as a member of the Board of Regents of the National Library of Medicine. [1] [2] He was a member of the Board of Overseers Visiting Committee of Harvard University for the Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine and of the Special Advisory Group of the Veterans Administration. [2] He was a founding member and former president of the Pi Pi Chapter of Omicron Kappa Upsilon. [3]
Dixon was a member of the Lincoln Memorial Congregational Temple of the United Church of Christ. He held a number of positions with the national organization, including chairman of the Missions Council of the Congregational Christian Churches of America. [5]
Personal life and death
Dixon was married to Carolyn Dixon (née Kealing). The couple had two sons, one of whom attended both Howard University College of Dentistry and Northwestern University. [3]
Dixon died after suffering a heart attack on January 3, 1976, at the age of 77 in Silver Spring, Maryland. [6] [1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Russell A. Dixon - 2017 - Question of the Month - Jim Crow Museum". www.ferris.edu. Retrieved 2022-02-15.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Dummett, Clifton O. (1989). "Medical History: A historical perspective of thirteen unheralded contributors to medicodental progress". Journal of the National Medical Association. 81 (3): 307–320. PMC 2571621. PMID 2651678.
- ^ a b c "Dixon Nominated as Regent of National Library of Medicine" (PDF). Journal of the National Medical Association. 55 (6): 562. November 1963. PMC 2642430 – via PubMed.
- ^ Johnson, John H. (January 1960). "Howard Dental School: More than half of U.S. Negro dentists are its graduates". Ebony: 21.
- ^ "Dr. Russell Dixon, 77, Dies; Howard U. Dentistry Dean". The Evening Star. 6 January 1976. p. 25. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
- ^ "Dr. R. Dixon, Howard Dean Emeritus, Dies". Jet Magazine. January 22, 1976. p. 44. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
 | This article needs additional or more specific
categories. (February 2022) |
- 1898 births
- 1976 deaths
- Harvard University people
- Scientists from Kansas City, Missouri
- Dental academics
- African-American dentists
- American university and college faculty deans
- Ferris State University alumni
- Northwestern University Dental School alumni
- Hampton University alumni
- African-American academic administrators
- 20th-century American academics
Russel Alexander Dixon (February 24, 1898 – January 3, 1976) was the first African-American to earn an advanced degree in dentistry from Northwestern University and the first African American dean of Howard University College of Dentistry. [1] He was the longest serving dean in dental education, with a 35 year tenure from 1931 to 1966. [1]
Early life and education
Russel A. Dixon was born on February 24, 1898, in Kansas City, Missouri to father, William James Dixon, and mother Lillie Belle Tribue Dixon. [2] He attended Hampton Institute from 1919 to 1920, [1] but switched to Ferris Institute, where he completed an undergraduate degree from 1920 to 1924. [2] In 1929 he received his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from Northwestern University Dental School. [2] Furthermore, in 1933 he became the first African American to earn a Masters of Science in Dentistry from Northwestern University. [1] [2] In 1965, Dixon received an Honorary Doctorate from Ferris State University. [1]
Howard University School of Dentistry
Dixon became part of the Howard Dental School faculty in 1929 and was appointed Acting Dean of Howard Dental School in 1931. [3] [2] He was later appointed and remained dean until his retirement in 1966. [1] During his tenure he contributed greatly to the curriculum, enrolment requirements, academic preparation of the dental faculty, and planning of a new dental building. [2] He was committed to racial integration and gender equality in dental education. [2] By 1960, more than half of the US's 1,681 African American dentists were graduates of the Howard University College of Dentistry. [4]
Professional organizations and contributions
Dixon served many administrative and academic positions throughout his career. [2] [1] In 1949 he was appointed president of the PanAmerican Odontological Society and the National Dental Association. [2] He served on the Executive Council of the American Association of Dental Schools from 1953 to 1967. [2] In 1963, President John F. Kennedy appointed him to a four-year term as a member of the Board of Regents of the National Library of Medicine. [1] [2] He was a member of the Board of Overseers Visiting Committee of Harvard University for the Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine and of the Special Advisory Group of the Veterans Administration. [2] He was a founding member and former president of the Pi Pi Chapter of Omicron Kappa Upsilon. [3]
Dixon was a member of the Lincoln Memorial Congregational Temple of the United Church of Christ. He held a number of positions with the national organization, including chairman of the Missions Council of the Congregational Christian Churches of America. [5]
Personal life and death
Dixon was married to Carolyn Dixon (née Kealing). The couple had two sons, one of whom attended both Howard University College of Dentistry and Northwestern University. [3]
Dixon died after suffering a heart attack on January 3, 1976, at the age of 77 in Silver Spring, Maryland. [6] [1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Russell A. Dixon - 2017 - Question of the Month - Jim Crow Museum". www.ferris.edu. Retrieved 2022-02-15.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Dummett, Clifton O. (1989). "Medical History: A historical perspective of thirteen unheralded contributors to medicodental progress". Journal of the National Medical Association. 81 (3): 307–320. PMC 2571621. PMID 2651678.
- ^ a b c "Dixon Nominated as Regent of National Library of Medicine" (PDF). Journal of the National Medical Association. 55 (6): 562. November 1963. PMC 2642430 – via PubMed.
- ^ Johnson, John H. (January 1960). "Howard Dental School: More than half of U.S. Negro dentists are its graduates". Ebony: 21.
- ^ "Dr. Russell Dixon, 77, Dies; Howard U. Dentistry Dean". The Evening Star. 6 January 1976. p. 25. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
- ^ "Dr. R. Dixon, Howard Dean Emeritus, Dies". Jet Magazine. January 22, 1976. p. 44. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
| This article needs additional or more specific
categories. (February 2022) |
- 1898 births
- 1976 deaths
- Harvard University people
- Scientists from Kansas City, Missouri
- Dental academics
- African-American dentists
- American university and college faculty deans
- Ferris State University alumni
- Northwestern University Dental School alumni
- Hampton University alumni
- African-American academic administrators
- 20th-century American academics