Dixon, Amelia A. Brown

Women's Army Auxiliary Corps

February 11, 1943

August 23, 1943

3562 Service Unit WAAC Section 2

Amelia A. Brown was born in Walton, KY, the daughter of Steve and Amanda Poston Brown (as noted in her Kentucky death certificate). Amelia and her siblings were living with their mother when they were enumerated in the 1900 U.S. Census. They were living with their father when they were enumerated in the 1910 U.S. Census. Amelia and three of her brothers were living with their grandfather John Poston when they were enumerated in the 1920 U.S. Census. Amelia was married to Ira Dixon when the couple was enumerated in the 1930 and 1940 U.S. Censuses. 

Amelia A. Dixon was employed at odd jobs in 1930 and employed by the Progress Works Administration (PWA) in 1940. In 1943 she enlisted in the Army in Cincinnati, OH, according to her record in the National Archives, Access to Archival Databases. She was stationed at Camp Breckinridge, KY in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps for six months before receiving an Honorable Discharge.

After her military service, Amelia returned to Walton. In 1948, she wrote letters to the editor of the African American newspaper, The Pittsburgh Courier. She was voicing her thoughts on the support of civil rights and race concerns among African Americans. Her letter covered the following topics: African Americans helping themselves and not relying on the President of the U.S.; the support of African American lawyers; a call for prayer; and support of the NAACP and prayer. The letters were published in the editorial section of the newspaper, "What the People Think." In March 1950, she wrote a letter to the editor to express her thoughts on whites and African Americans working together, which was also published in the editorial section "What the People Think."

In December 1950, there was a tragedy: Amelia was in her home when she was shot and had other injuries. She died at the hospital in Covington, KY. The Kenton County Coroner and the county attorney disagreed about the cause of death. After conferring with the sheriff following a search of the Dixon home, the coroner's verdict of suicide was withdrawn and Amelia's husband was arrested for murder. In January 1951, the Kenton County Coroner declared that Amelia A. Brown Dixon's death was an accident, and the cause of death was listed as an accident on her Kentucky death certificate. She is buried in the Richwood Presbyterian Cemetery in Walton. Her husband Ira Dixon requested a military headstone. The headstone has the inscription "3562nd Service Unit WAAC."

In February 1951, a letter appeared in the editorial section of the Pittsburgh Courier that was in response to an earlier letter written by Amelia that was in reference to the NAACP possibly using Marcus Garvey funds. The reply to her letter came from E. S. Robinson, Sr., Minister of Labor and Industry of the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in Cleveland, OH. Robinson's later was meant to point out the lack of support that Marcus Garvey had received during his lifetime and to note that the Honorable James R. Stewart, the successor to Marcus Garvey, was busy at the headquarters in Liberia, Africa, where much progress was being made using the organization's funds.

Sources: U.S. Headstone Applications for Military Veterans in Ancestry; Amelia Dixon at Find A Grave; Kentucky Death Certificate file #116 50 27024, registrar's #1199; Amelia A. Dixon, "What the People Think: Let's give a hand to our lawyers," The Pittsburgh Courier, 6/5/1948, p. 7; Amelia A. Dixon, "What the People Think: Let's try harder to help ourselves," The Pittsburgh Courier, 6/19/1948, p. 15; Amelia A. Dixon, "What the People Think: Says prayer will save our nation," The Pittsburgh Courier, 11/6/1948, p. 16; Amelia A. Dixon, "What the People Think: Now let's rally to the NAACP," The Pittsburgh Courier, 12/25/1948, p. 13;  Amelia A. Dixon, "What the People Think: White horses, black horses work together; let us," The Pittsburgh Courier, 3/04/1950, p. 18; "Woman found shot; Death is investigated," The Cincinnati Enquirer, 12/13/1950, front page; "Murder is charged in death of woman; Husband is named," The Cincinnati Enquirer, 12/14/1950, front page; "Verdict withdrawn by Kenton County coroner in supposed suicide," The Cincinnati Enquirer, 12/15/1950, front page; and "Death was accident, coroner says again in shooting in Boone," The Cincinnati Enquirer, 1/3/1951, front page.

Read about Boone County, Kentucky in Wikipedia.

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Read about Kenton County, Kentucky in Wikipedia.

Read about Walton, Kentucky in Wikipedia.

Read about Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky in Wikipedia.

Read about Covington, Kentucky in Wikipedia.