Dixon, Melvin, 1950-1992

Variant names

Hide Profile

Melvin Dixon, widely praised as a novelist, translator and literary critic, published poetry that portrayed both his interior explorations and world travels. Born in Stamford, Connecticut in 1950, Dixon was graduated from Wesleyan University in 1971 in American Studies, and earned an MA in 1973 and a Ph.D. in 1975 from Boston University.

Both in his published and unpublished writings, Dixon wrote openly about his homosexuality. James Baldwin's influence is seen in Dixon's two novels, "Trouble the Water" (1989, winner of the Nilon Award for Excellence in Minority Fiction) and "Vanishing Rooms" (1991). In the latter, Dixon wrote about homophobia and racism in New York City's Greenwich Village. His first book of poems, "Change of Territory" (1983) spoke of the historic northward migration of African Americans from the southern United States and the enforced journeys of African slavery. His final volume of poems, "Love's Instruments" (1995) published after his death from an AIDS-related illness in 1992, serves as a tribute to other gay men with this disease. As an active spokesman for gay communities and issues, Dixon integrated the complexities of gay identity and lifestyle into his work while communicating what it meant to be a black man.

As a writer, Dixon embraced both scholarship and creativity. He wrote poems, short stories, novels, essays, critical studies, and translations from French. Seeking his literary heritage, he traveled to the Caribbean, Africa and Europe, researching the Haitian poet and novelist Jacques Roumain, Leopold Senghor, the poet and former president of Senegal, and Richard Wright in Paris. His translations include Roumain's poems, Genevieve Fabre's "Drumbeats, Mass, and Metaphor: Contemporary Afro-American Theatre" (1983), and "The Collected Poetry by Leopold Sedar Senghor" (1991). He also wrote a critical study of African-American literature entitled "Ride Out the Wilderness" (1987).

Dixon was an Assistant Professor at Williams College (1976-1980), and a Professor of English at Queens College of the City University of New York (1980-1992). He also taught at the Graduate Center (CUNY), Fordham University and Columbia University. Dixon received a number of awards and fellowships including a Fulbright lectureship in Senegal (1985-1986). His long-term partner was Richard Horovitz.

Some of the correspondence and other material are written in French.

From the description of Melvin Dixon papers, 1962-1992. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 144652067

Melvin Dixon, widely praised as a novelist, translator and literary critic, published poetry that portrayed both his interior explorations and world travels. Born in Stamford, Connecticut in 1950, Dixon was graduated from Wesleyan University in 1971 in American Studies, and earned an MA in 1973 and a Ph.D. in 1975 from Boston University.

Both in his published and unpublished writings, Dixon wrote openly about his homosexuality. James Baldwin's influence is seen in Dixon's two novels, "Trouble the Water" (1989, winner of the Nilon Award for Excellence in Minority Fiction) and "Vanishing Rooms" (1991). In the latter, Dixon wrote about homophobia and racism in New York City's Greenwich Village. His first book of poems, "Change of Territory" (1983) spoke of the historic northward migration of African Americans from the southern United States and the enforced journeys of African slavery. His final volume of poems, "Love's Instruments" (1995) published after his death from an AIDS-related illness in 1992, serves as a tribute to other gay men with this disease. As an active spokesman for gay communities and issues, Dixon integrated the complexities of gay identity and lifestyle into his work while communicating what it meant to be a black man.

As a writer, Dixon embraced both scholarship and creativity. He wrote poems, short stories, novels, essays, critical studies, and translations from French. Seeking his literary heritage, he traveled to the Caribbean, Africa and Europe, researching the Haitian poet and novelist Jacques Roumain, Leopold Senghor, the poet and former president of Senegal, and Richard Wright in Paris. His translations include Roumain's poems, Genevieve Fabre's "Drumbeats, Mass, and Metaphor: Contemporary Afro-American Theatre" (1983), and "The Collected Poetry by Leopold Sedar Senghor" (1991). He also wrote a critical study of African-American literature entitled "Ride Out the Wilderness" (1987).

Dixon was an Assistant Professor at Williams College (1976-1980), and a Professor of English at Queens College of the City University of New York (1980-1992). He also taught at the Graduate Center (CUNY), Fordham University and Columbia University. Dixon received a number of awards and fellowships including a Fulbright lectureship in Senegal (1985-1986). His long-term partner was Richard Horovitz.

Some of the correspondence and other material are written in French.

From the guide to the Melvin Dixon papers, 1962-1992, (The New York Public Library. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division.)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Melvin Dixon papers, 1962-1992 Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives Section
creatorOf Dixon, Melvin, 1950-1992. Office files of The American Poetry Review, 197x University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Parnassus: poetry in review records, 1971-1996 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Beam, Joseph. Joseph Beam papers, 1967-1990. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Dixon, Melvin, 1950-1992. Melvin Dixon papers, 1962-1992. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Dixon, Melvin, 1950-1992. Melvin Dixon papers, 1962-1992. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Joseph Beam papers, 1967-1990 Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives Section
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Beam, Joseph. person
associatedWith Dixon, Melvin, 1950- person
associatedWith Fabre, Geneviève. person
associatedWith Fabre, Geneviève person
associatedWith Fabre, Michel person
associatedWith Fabre, Michel. person
associatedWith Fair, Ronald L. person
associatedWith Fuller, Hoyt, 1923-1981. person
associatedWith Harper, Michael S., 1938- person
associatedWith Jones, Gayl person
associatedWith Jones, Gayl. person
associatedWith Malaquin, Didier person
associatedWith Malaquin, Didier. person
associatedWith Morrison, Toni person
associatedWith Morrison, Toni. person
correspondedWith Parnassus: poetry in review corporateBody
associatedWith Senghor, Leopald Sedar. person
associatedWith Stepto, Robert B. person
associatedWith University Press of Virginia. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
France--Paris
Subject
American literature
African American authors
African American authors
African American college teachers
African American gays
African American gays
African American novelists
African American poets
African Americans
African Americans
African Americans in literature
AIDS (Disease) in literature
AIDS (Disease) in literature
Authors, American
American poetry
Short stories, American
Gay couples
Gay men
Gay men
Gay men in literature
Gays' writings, American
Homosexuality and literature
Homosexuality and literature
Travelers' writings
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1950-05-29

Death 1992-10-26

Americans

English

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6tb8pj6

Ark ID: w6tb8pj6

SNAC ID: 3742728