Throughout Black History Month, we will be featuring Black people from Rochester’s history. We will also be sharing important resources and information. Follow along as we recognize the many Black people who have helped shape our community, and the countless contributions they have made.
Early Life
George Gibbs Jr. was born in Florida on November 7, 1916. As a teenager, he moved to New York where he attended high school, and later received his GED. Soon after, he began serving in the United States Navy.
While in the Navy, he was selected to join Admiral Richard Byrd’s third expedition on the USS Bear to explore Antarctica. This was an important honor for Gibbs, as only the most qualified men were asked to join.
At the time, the only job available to African Americans was to be a mess attendant, but that didn’t deter Gibbs. He worked hard and did his job well. George kept a diary during the journey. He wrote about his monotonous job duties, and briefly described the discrimination he faced while on the ship. Gibbs wasn’t discouraged by this. His courage, determination, and perseverance kept him moving forward.
Gibbs’ fortitude during the trek to the icy South Pole paid off and at age 22 he was given the honor of being first to step off the ship. George Gibbs Jr. became the first person of African decent to visit the continent of Antarctica.
After the glacial trek, WWII erupted. Gibbs served as a naval gunner in the South Pacific. He remained in the Navy for 24 years and retired as a chief petty officer in 1959.
Moving to Rochester
Prior to retirement from the Navy, Gibbs married his wife Joyce in 1953. The couple moved to Rochester in 1963 after George graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Minnesota.
Gibbs and his family were one of the first Black families in the Rochester community. The couple had two children: a daughter, Leilani, and a son, Tony.
Gibbs worked at IBM in housing administration and was an international assignment representative until he retired in 1982. After retirement from IBM, Gibbs started the employment service Technical Career Placement, Inc. until retiring in 1999.
Activism
Throughout his life, Gibbs was a leader for equality among races and believed strongly in the inclusion of all people. Although he was a leader in the community, George’s daily life was not free from discrimination. On the evening of Wednesday February 13, 1974 he was denied admittance into the Rochester Elks Lodge, presumably because of his race.
Seventy members voted that night, and George was blackballed with eight votes against him. (The term “blackball” dates to the 1700s when a black ball would be placed into an urn to cast a negative vote). At the time, only three votes were needed to deny a person membership into the Elks Lodge.
Just five months earlier, the Elks had cast a unanimous vote to remove the racial “whites-only” restrictions from the organization. They were under pressure of losing their liquor license if they did not comply.
When asked by the Post Bulletin for comment days after the rejection, Gibbs said, “I think it is a sad day in America when in 1974 we still have people who are not civilized enough to recognize the need for working together as a people – rather than looking at the color of one another’s skin.”
Two days after he was denied entry into the Elks Lodge, the Rochester NAACP voted to turn the matter over to the city’s Human Rights Commission. After investigation, the Elks Lodge lost their liquor license and Gibbs was granted membership into the organization. This action was an extremely significant turning point in Rochester, as it broke barriers for other clubs and organizations in the city. Gibbs later helped organize the Rochester branch of the NAACP and served twice as president, once locally, and once nationally.
George was honored many times for his community service. In 2000, he was presented with the George Gibbs Humanitarianism Award from the Rochester NAACP. Today, the George Gibbs Meritorious Community Service Award is one of the four awards given annually at the NAACP’s Freedom Fund Banquet. The award recognizes community members who have led community-wide change, are advocates for social justice, and work against discrimination.
Community Contributions
Gibbs was a leader in the community and in business. His work has helped open doors for minorities in Rochester. Check out the ways that George was involved in the community below:
- President of the Rochester Kiwanis
- President of Rochester chapter of MN Alumni Association
- Chairman of Boy Scout Troop 21
- Chairman for United Negro College Fund of SE MN
- Member of Christ United Methodist Church
- President of Rochester Toastmasters Club 271
- Board of directors of Home Federal Savings and Loan Association
- Board member of the American Red Cross
- Member of Olmsted County PTA Scholarship Foundation
- Active in the men’s club at the YMCA
George Gibbs remained an active member of the Rochester community until the day he passed away from cancer November 7, 2000. Two days before his death, Gibbs volunteered to make phone calls to encourage people to vote. He passed away on his 84th birthday while watching the election returns at home with family and friends.
George W. Gibbs Jr. Elementary School
Gibbs Elementary is one of the seventeen elementary schools located in Rochester. The school opened its doors in 2009, enrolling just over 650 students. On his trek to Antarctica, George studied penguins for the Smithsonian Institution. Naturally, the students at Gibbs Elementary chose a penguin as their mascot. Joyce Gibbs, George’s wife, worked as a substitute teacher at the school.
In 2019 Mrs. Gibbs joined the school in celebrating “World Penguin Day” (April 25). They celebrated the 10th anniversary of the school with a party that included videos, crafts, and guest readers, including Mrs. Gibbs herself.
George Gibbs’ Legacy
Gibbs has been honored in many ways, not only in Rochester. In 2009, a rocky point on the Antarctic Peninsula was named Gibbs Point, to recognize him as the first person of African decent to set foot on the continent of Antarctica. The penguins that George helped capture for zoology research are preserved at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D. C.
George’s daughter Leilani Raashida Henry has done extensive research on Antarctic exploration, and even took a trip to Antarctica herself in 2012. She wrote a young adult book, published in 2021, called The Call of Antarctica: Exploring and Protecting Earth’s Coldest Continent. The book is available for purchase in Rochester at the Olmsted County History Center. On February 19, 2022 Leilani Raashida Henry will be doing a reading from her book, as well as a book signing at the Olmsted County History Ceneter. Get your tickets here.
What can you do to honor the legacy of George W. Gibbs Jr.?
We hope that George’s life and contributions have you motivated to help in your community! See below for opportunities to contribute in Rochester:
Volunteer Your Time at Rochester Public Schools
Click here to see a list of committees that RPS has.
Serve Your Community
See this Rochester Mom Give 5 post for local organizations to give your time or money, if you are able.
Become a Member, Volunteer, or Learn About the Rochester NAACP
Check out their website, and follow the Rochester branch on Facebook to keep up with events and initiatives that they have going on. The RISE for Youth Program is a partnership between the NAACP and Mayo Clinic, the first of its kind. The program’s mission is “providing students with critical educational and leadership skills, training and long-term mentoring for successful careers in health care, science and beyond.”
Rochester NAACP President, Walé Elegbede stated:
“The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us that life’s most urgent and persistent question is “what are you doing for others?”. The Rochester Branch of the NAACP stands on the shoulders of giants like George Washington Gibbs Jr. who helped establish our branch in 1965. Mr. Gibbs understood life’s most urgent question and was always doing for others. He placed great emphasis on encouraging integration of school curriculum to reflect the contributions of Black people, as well as encouraging schools, businesses, and organizations to work and support responsible organizations – like the NAACP in bringing about that change. He also advocated for more Blacks being involved in decision making positions in business and government. His leadership alongside other Rochester Branch of the NAACP founding members give us a solid foundation upon which we stand on.”
Be Kind
Gibbs’ daughter Leilani has said that her dad talked to anyone; it didn’t matter what they looked like. She said, “He was always upbeat, positive, and inspirational, he treated strangers like his best friend.” If nothing else, uphold George’s legacy by being kind to people. Don’t judge others based on what you see on the outside. Get to know your neighbors and fellow community members. When we work together, we can help make Rochester a beautiful place to live.
Sources
A special thank you to the following:
Krista Lewis at the History Center of Olmsted County
Rochester Post Bulletin
Walé Elegbede, Rochester NAACP President
Manal Abbadi Whitfield, Rochester NAACP Chair Community Engagement Committee
Barbara Jordan, Rochester NAACP Secretary
