Alan Dixon legacy will live on with collection at local museum

Nothing gets museum curators more excited than old stuff, especially old stuff with a direct connection to their museum and especially old stuff they get to keep.

So, naturally, William P. Shannon IV, curator of the St. Clair County Historical Society museum, was ecstatic when Jody Dixon, widow of the late Democratic U.S. Sen. Allen Dixon, offered to donate some of the Belleville native’s memorabilia.

Shannon is going through five big boxes of items including scrapbooks with press clippings, invitations from the time the Dixons spent in Washington, D.C., and the years after they moved back to Belleville and all sorts of other items.

“There are things that highlight his early political life as well as stuff that spans the length of his career,” Shannon said. “It’s really the story of the times he lived in.”

Al Dixon died in 2014 after a long political career in local, state and national politics. Known as Al the Pal, a nickname he wasn’t particularly fond of but put up with, he did always seem to be happy. At least he was always smiling.

He was elected Belleville police magistrate in 1948 when he was still a law school student. He later was elected to the Illinois legislature as a representative and a senator and was state treasurer and secretary of state. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1982 and served two terms until he was defeated in the Democratic primary by Carol Mosely Braun in 1992, the only election he ever lost.

Shannon said that as he flipped through some of the scrapbooks, he realized that Dixon performed an incredible political feat while running for secretary of state. He carried all 102 counties in the state and all the wards in Chicago.

The collection includes handwritten notes from political stalwarts of the time, such as President Ronald Reagan and Secretary of State Alexander Haig Jr., as well as autographed pictures of former presidents, senators and other famous people.

A bag of leftover campaign buttons in one box contains “Dixon for Senate” buttons. But one, which may be rare, said, “Dixon/governor.” Shannon said there apparently was a movement to draft Dixon for the governor’s race at one time, but he wasn’t interested.

The collection also includes items from Jody Dixon’s participation in U.S. Senate wives’ groups as well as other activities and functions she participated in.

Shannon said once the items are all cataloged, he will share the catalog with other archives and libraries so they know what is available for researchers.

Some of the items will go on display, at least temporarily.

“We probably will do an exhibit in the Pete Kern Room upstairs,” Shannon said.

History buff that he is, Shannon loves getting to deal with the memorabilia.

“I had a great time looking through it and talking to Mrs. Dixon,” he said. “It’s the hometown boy made good. And imagine, it’s all from a guy who grew up here in Belleville on Forest Avenue.”

This story was originally published August 13, 2016 at 8:09 AM with the headline "Alan Dixon legacy will live on with collection at local museum."