Mildred Dixon

Mildred Dixon (November 21, 1904 – September 18, 2001[1]) was a dancer at the Cotton Club in Harlem, New York City, who became a longtime companion of composer and musician Duke Ellington, and manager of his company.

She became a dancer and moved to New York in the mid-1920s, where she became known as part of the dance couple, "Mildred and Henri."

Mildred Dixon was born and grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, where she attended local schools.

While Dixon was Ellington's companion (1928–1938), she worked as manager of his company Tempo Music.

Mercer later wrote in his biography of his father that he considered Dixon his mother, as he lived with her for a decade.