John T. Dixon

In 1921, Attorney John Tobias Dixon was the second child and oldest male of 12 siblings born to Rev. Robert and Estella Dixon. His parents always impressed upon him the importance of education, faith and discipline. In 1925, Attorney Dixon and his family moved to Chicago, Illinois. His early education was obtained at Edward Jenner Elementary School and Crane Technical High School.

Upon graduating from Crane, Attorney Dixon enrolled in Wilson Junior College where he was a Defensive End and Tight End, achieving All-State Honors among Junior College athletes in Illinois. In 1940, after only one year at Wilson, he transferred to Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on a football scholarship. He received his Bachelor's degree from Southern in 1943. In 1943, he enlisted in the United States Military via the Enlisted Reserve Corp (ERC), where he served in the Service Battalion assuring that his fellow servicemen were properly equipped with the necessary ordinance ammunition. This would later be synonymous with his plight to equip his community and clients with the necessary tools and ammunition to attack the rigorous fight that was implicit during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s.

Attorney Dixon later married Anne Lucy McConnell, in 1959 to join him on his quest in the fulfillment of his purpose. To this union was born two (2) children John and Estralita Dixon. Together they created a strong foundation to fuel and support his goals and dreams.

In his early years, as a "Depression Kid," Attorney Dixon aspired to be an engineer. He felt like he could have a promising career in this field since he considered himself to be a "pretty good" mechanical drawer. He also worked part-time at the Post Office, which was common for blacks at the time. While working in a field totally unrelated to law, his superior, Charlie Monahan said: "you oughta be a lawyer." That was the first time Attorney Dixon ever perceived the possibility of being a lawyer. He later linked with a progressive group that characterized themselves as the "Summa Theologica," named after a great unfinished work of St. Thomas Aquinas which focused on capitalizing on faith and knowledge in order to become self-empowered. While having a great deal of respect for those who had gone before them (his parents were educators and ministers), the members of Summa Theologica vowed to pursue nontraditional professions, as opposed to being thrust into becoming teachers, ministers, and coaches as African Americans had largely been assigned in the past.

Thus, in September, 1946, Attorney Dixon enrolled in John Marshall Law School. It was in the registration line that he first met his law partner and lifelong friend, Attorney Robert C. Power. The two matriculated through law school and graduated together in the Class of 1949. By 1950, they founded Power & Dixon, which is still a vibrant organ in the legal community today. Founded in the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, they joined the Cook County Bar Association, committing their firm to assisting in the defense of those who were arrested while assisting in the movement. Their upbringing, education, and military background had taught both, Power and Dixon, to be soldiers on the battlefield for a worthy cause. It had also exposed them to a since of freedom that they observed while traveling the world which they thought should be demanded and worth fighting for.

In addition to co-founding Power & Dixon, Attorney Dixon worked for the Illinois State's Attorneys Office(1956-60), represented the Republican Party, was Field Counsel for HUD, General Counsel for the 2nd Ward, ran for State Representative(1952), and ran for Alderman of the 2nd Ward (1955). He was featured in Jet Magazine for representing black children who were seriously injured when they fell off of a porch (1952-54). Attorney Dixon also played a vital role in the 1953 integration of the Mayflower Hotel, in Washington, D.C. He has received awards for distinguished service by John Marshall Law School (1973) and the Cook County Bar Association (1975).

Attorney Dixon's affiliations included, but are not limited to, the Frederick Douglas League, Cook County Bar Association, National Bar Association, and American Bar Association. He believes that it is the duty of the next generation to develop a philosophy of life and truth, and be committed to serving those who are less fortunate; to not always ask how much we are going to get for our legal plights, but be willing to pursue the task at hand, even in the absence of personal pecuniary gain. He is grateful to have had the privilege to serve.