George Gibbs Lecture Series begins Thursday

01/29/2007

Please note this opportunity on Thursday --


George Gibbs Lecture Series begins Thursday


Mon, Jan 29, 2007


By Mike Dougherty
The Post-Bulletin


A new lecture series in Rochester will kick off its events Thursday for Black History Month and honor the career of the late George W. Gibbs Jr., who was known for his leadership in the community, civil rights and business.

The George Gibbs Lecture Series will debut Thursday with the showing of "February One" the story of the Greensboro Four, who organized lunch counter sit-ins to demand equal treatment and helped start the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. The showing at the Rochester Public Library is free and open to the public.

There are more lecture series events planned to coincide with Black History Month. More details will be released in February.

"George Gibbs was such an icon in this community, and we thought it would be fitting to organize some educational programs that are named after him," said Jacqueline Johnson of the Mayo Clinic -- Rochester African Descendants Support Network, which is sponsoring the series. "It's important for people to understand where we've come from, and it's important to know about George Gibbs' contributions."

Gibbs, who served in the U.S. Navy for 24 years, served on the third expedition of Admiral Richard Byrd to the South Pole from 1939-1941, becoming the first black person to reach Antarctica. He also was a naval gunner in the South Pacific during World War II.

After his military career, Gibbs graduated from the University of Minnesota and moved to Rochester in 1963 to work with IBM. He retired from IBM in 1982 and started Technical Career Placement Inc., an employment service he ran until he retired in 1999.

Gibbs helped organize the Rochester branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In 1974, Gibbs was the first black person to apply to the Rochester Elks Club, and he received national attention when his membership was turned down. It was presumed because of his race. He then worked to break the color barrier at service clubs in Rochester.

Gibbs died of cancer on Nov. 7, 2000, his 84th birthday. Later, the city renamed West Soldiers Field Drive to George Gibbs Memorial Drive in honor of Gibbs.

Go & Do:


What: "February One" movie, Story of the Greensboro Four.

Where: Rochester Public Library -- Auditorium

When: Thursday, 6:30 p.m.

Why: It's Black History Month and it's the First Annual George Gibbs Lecture Series.

Event is free.

- Lynn Wilson