(Photo courtesy Alan Blackman, who’s at right with guests James and Michael Dixon)
February is Black History Month. Denny International Middle School‘s 7th grade US History teacher Alan Blackman brought guests to his 4th-period class on Thursday, and wanted to share the story with you:

Here at Denny, we strive to prepare scholars to become responsible, informed citizens by utilizing multiple perspectives in their educational journey. In my American History class, we have dissected such events as the Columbian exchange and the American Revolution by examining the varying experiences of all groups involved.

(On Thursday), we were extremely fortunate to be joined by Michael Dixon, a former Black Panther, and his son James, who volunteered at Denny during the 2013-14 school year with the City Year program. Mr. Dixon was not only a member of the Seattle Panthers – his brother Aaron founded the city’s chapter in 1968. Mr. Dixon spoke to students about the events of the 1960s and the aims of the Black Panther Party. Students were very eager to ask Mr. Dixon about the origins of the Black Panthers, and his thoughts in hindsight of that time. It was a great opportunity for students to interact with and learn from an individual who experienced and participated in such a tumultuous, powerful, and significant period of American history.

Mr. Dixon emphasized the role of community service in his words to scholars, recalling the community programs that the Seattle Panthers organized, such as the free breakfast program in Madrona. He encouraged students to recognize the impact each of them could have on their community, using his own activism as an example. Students definitely left class feeling encouraged and empowered.

The UW’s website has an extensive archive about this chapter in the city’s history; it starts here. More-recent background on Aaron Dixon, who ran for US Senate in 2006 and authored a memoir in 2012, is here.