Scope and Content Note
The papers of Jeane Lydia Dixon (1904-1997) span the years 1915-1996, with the bulk of the material dating from 1953 to 1988. The collection documents Dixon’s career as a psychic and astrologer, her charitable work, her social activities, and her interest in politics. The collection also includes files of her husband, James L. Dixon. His papers relate to his automobile business and his endeavors as a songwriter. The papers are in English and are organized into seven groups: correspondence, James L. Dixon file, speech and engagement file, subject file, visual materials, writings, and oversize.
In a 1956 issue of Parade magazine, Jeane Dixon stated that a Democrat would win the presidency in 1960 and either be assassinated or die in office. After John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, this reported prediction brought Dixon national attention and established her reputation as a psychic. In interviews and public appearances, Dixon, a devout Roman Catholic, described her psychic ability as visions from God. Although not comprehensive in scope, the collection provides insights into popular culture, entertainment, and mid-twentieth century politics, especially through an array of professional photographs including those of Dixon with public figures. The collection features little material relating to Dixon's syndicated astrology column and the Dixons’ real estate company. The Dixon papers consist of correspondence, speeches and talks, notes, writings, photographs, slides, scrapbooks, sheet music, clippings, printed matter, and other material.
The correspondence includes letters between Dixon and friends, politicians and government leaders, journalists, acquaintances, and the public. Much of the correspondence consists of routine exchanges with friends about family and news of mutual friends with occasional references to national events. Represented are letters pertaining to Dixon’s endeavors for charitable organizations, in particular Children to Children Foundation, and requests for Dixon to speak, to give interviews, and to agree to consultations from individuals seeking spiritual or psychic guidance. The alphabetical file includes a photocopy of a brief letter in 1983 from President Ronald Reagan discussing a recent trip to Rome, Italy, and a carbon copy of Dixon's letter to Nancy Reagan praising her for using her position as first lady to discourage recreational drug use. Most of Dixon’s correspondence with Republican politicians is located in the chronological correspondence file, including single letters from John Heinz (1985), Jesse Helms (1983), and Richard M. Nixon (photocopy 1983). The chronological correspondence file also contains a 1971 letter from activist Phyllis Schlafly.
The James L. Dixon file pertains mainly to his interest in songwriting, although there are files relating to his years as an automobile dealer and salesman in California from 1922 to 1940. The bulk of the songwriting files consist of sheet music, both drafts and published, of Dixon’s compositions. Jeane Dixon collaborated with her husband on the song “There’s a Little Old Church” by writing the lyrics. Also included are items relating to James Dixon’s work for the War Department during World War II.
The speech and engagement file documents Jeane Dixon’s public appearances. This file contains only a few speeches and talks with the chronological file containing correspondence and details about engagements.
The subject file makes up the largest portion of the Dixon papers. One of the more substantial set of files relates to Dixon’s charitable activities on behalf of the Damon Runyon Memorial Fund for Cancer Research. Her cat, Mike the MagiCat, became the mascot for the charity, and Dixon would take the cat to public appearances for the organization. Other files about the cat are located in the subject file under “Mike the MagiCat.” These files pertain to Dixon’s efforts to publish books, make a movie, and sell merchandise relating to the cat. The subject file contains two folders featuring the charity Children to Children Foundation, which Dixon founded in 1963. Also featured are media files pertaining to Dixon’s appearances including on the Phil Donahue Show and the Tonight Show. The Tonight Show file includes a letter from Joan Rivers requesting that Dixon come as a guest the next time she was hosting the show.
The visual materials consist chiefly of photographs, although also present are contact sheets, drawings, posters, and a few negatives. The photographs include portraits of Dixon and numerous photographs of her with various individuals. The photographs include photographer Steve Schapiro’s profile of Dixon for Life magazine in 1965. A number of politicians and public figures are filed in the folders “Celebrities” and “Politicians, government officials, and first ladies.” Represented are James Addison Baker, Rona Barrett, Mamie Doud Eisenhower, Glenn Ford, George Hamilton, Jesse Helms, Celeste Holm, J. Edgar Hoover, Bob Hope, Jeane J. Kirkpatick, Minnie Pearl, Nelson A. Rockefeller, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Strom Thurmond.
The writings file contains only a few articles and columns with the bulk of the files relating to Dixon’s correspondence with publishers. The article files include a 1985 article written by Dixon about the real estate business. Also featured is an unpublished memoir by Dixon, “My House on 19th Street.”