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459:, graduating from the University of Minnesota in 1963 with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Education. The Gibbs family then moved to Rochester, Minnesota, where Gibbs worked in the personnel department at IBM for 18 years. He also was housing administrator and international assignment representative for IBM. Gibbs then founded his own employment company, Technical Career Placement, Inc., which he operated until 1999.
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Gibbs became a civil rights leader and helped organize the
Rochester, Minnesota Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He worked for civil rights in Rochester and on a national basis. Later, the Rochester, Minnesota branch of the NAACP presented Gibbs with
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Richard H. Cruzen, commended Gibbs twice: first, "at meritorious mast for his zeal, initiative, and untiring industry, entailing much personal sacrifice," during the preparation period for the
Antarctic duty and second, at the end of the expedition, "for his outstanding zeal and energy, and for the
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established the service to support Rear
Admiral Richard E. Byrd's third polar expedition (1939–1941) intended "to consolidate previous American exploration and to examine more closely the land in the Pacific sector." Gibbs was among forty U.S. Navy men chosen from 2,000 Navy applicants for a
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the George Gibbs
Humanitarianism Award. Gibbs's daughter, who plans to publish a book about her father, has said that he was very persuasive, noting that only about 50 of the 350 members of the local NAACP chapter were black. Gibbs also worked with the Minnesota-North Dakota NAACP Conference.
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Gibbs was president of the
Rochester Kiwanis and the Rochester chapter of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association. Gibbs was a chairman of Boy Scout Troop 21 and the United Negro College Fund for southeast Minnesota. He was a member of Christ United Methodist Church.
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Despite the long work days, Gibbs kept a journal during the expedition. It had been misplaced behind a dresser and only was found by his wife soon after his death in 2000. Gibbs noted the unfriendly attitude of two of the officers on the
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In 1974, Gibbs was denied membership in the
Rochester Elks Club, which made headlines and eventually led to breaking the color barrier at that club, an accomplishment also made by Gibbs at service clubs in Rochester.
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On August 5, 2008, the
Rochester, Minnesota school board named a new elementary school the George W. Gibbs Jr. Elementary School. The formal dedication was October 11, 2009. A scholarship also was named for Gibbs.
373:. This was dangerous work because the men had to work from a rowboat in fog with a non-working radio. Only the sounding of the ship's horn gave the men bearings to find their way back to the ship.
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495:, a rock point on the Antarctic Peninsula, the most northern area of Antarctica, was named for African-American Antarctic explorer George W. Gibbs Jr. on September 2, 2009. On that date, the
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unusual spirit of loyalty and cooperation which he has invariably displayed under trying conditions encountered during the assignment of this vessel to duty with the U.S. Antarctic
Service."
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503:) confirmed the place name in Antarctica for Gibbs as the first black explorer to set foot on the continent. Gibbs Point is a rock point forming the northwest entrance to
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I was the first man aboard the ship to set foot in Little
America and help tie her lines deep into the snow. I met Admiral Byrd; he shook my hand and welcomed me to
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from 1963 to 1982. After retiring from IBM, Gibbs founded an employment agency, Technical Career
Placement, Inc., which he continued to operate until 1999.
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319:, but also worked as a cook and performed other tasks with the expedition. By the end of the expedition, Gibbs was an Officer's Cook 3rd Class.
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The Rochester, Minnesota school board named a new elementary school, dedicated on October 11, 2009, the George W. Gibbs Jr. Elementary School.
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and the Rochester chapter of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association and was involved in several charitable organizations.
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Gibbs remained in the U.S. Navy until 1959 when he retired as a chief petty officer. Among other awards, Gibbs received the
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but praised the captain and the spirit of co-operation among most of the Navy and civilian members of the expedition.
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586:. In The Antarctic Sun. Posted October 1, 2010. United States Antarctic Program web site. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
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job with the expedition. Gibbs served as a Mess Attendant 1st Class aboard the lead expedition ship,
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at Rochester and several service clubs. In 1966, Gibbs helped organize the Rochester Chapter of the
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Gibbs helped to establish West Base (Little America III), near the Bay of Whales, and East Base on
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Geens, Stefan. "Double Honors for African-American Antarctic Explorer George W. Gibbs Jr."
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Stein, Glenn. "School Named after Black American Antarctic Explorer George W. Gibbs Jr."
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Making history: Gibbs first person of African descent to set foot on Antarctic continent
205:(1939–1941) on January 14, 1940. Gibbs served as a gunner in the U.S. Navy during
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Rochester Minnesota's West Soldiers Field Drive was renamed in honor of Gibbs in 2002.
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291:. The Gibbs's had a daughter, Leilani R. (Gibbs) Henry and a son, E. Anthony "Tony."
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During World War II, Gibbs served in combat in the Pacific. He was a gunner on the
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on the Antarctic Peninsula was named for George W. Gibbs Jr. on September 2, 2009.
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During his time in the Navy, Gibbs married Joyce Powell on September 26, 1953, in
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862:. In The Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN, April 19, 2012. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
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University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development alumni
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in 1935. He re-enlisted when his four-year period of enlistment expired.
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Daughter of first black man in Antarctica writing book on his adventure
240:(NAACP). He was also a civic leader who was president of the Rochester
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George Gibbs' daughter, Leilani Henry, passes along spirit of explorer
209:. After 24 years service in the U.S. Navy, Gibbs retired in 1959 as a
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Smith, Adam Christian says 2,000 applicants; Stein says "hundreds."
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United States Navy First African-American in Antarctica (1916–2000)
269:. He attended Brooklyn Technical School. Gibbs later received his
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George W. Gibbs Jr. died on his 84th birthday, November 7, 2000.
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764:"Gibbs Jr., George W. (1916-2000)". Retrieved August 1, 2012.
358:, Antarctic Peninsula. He twice made round trips between the
174:(November 7, 1916 – November 7, 2000), a sailor in the
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and for being the first Negro to set foot in Little America.
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National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
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George Gibbs was a civil rights leader who integrated the
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Gibbs was encouraged to apply for an assignment with the
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was sunk by enemy fire from the Japanese battleship
798:. Chicago: Heinemann-Raintree Books. p. 42.
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455:After Gibbs retired from the Navy, he moved to
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221:. Gibbs worked in the personnel department of
201:third Antarctic expedition, also known as the
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904:Military personnel from Jacksonville, Florida
716:, February 6, 2012. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
924:20th-century African-American businesspeople
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671:International Polar Year, 2007-2008 web site
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934:Activists for African-American civil rights
774:Legacy.com obituary for George W. Gibbs Jr.
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413:and a torpedo from the Japanese destroyer
365:During the expedition, Gibbs helped catch
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146:United States Antarctic Expedition Medal
841:. Canton, MI: Visible Ink Press, 2003.
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939:20th-century American businesspeople
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849:. Retrieved August 1, 2012. p. 483.
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944:African Americans in World War II
463:Civil rights and civic leadership
265:on November 7, 1916. He moved to
909:People from Rochester, Minnesota
261:George W. Gibbs Jr. was born in
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894:United States and the Antarctic
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795:Arctic Tundra and Polar Deserts
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306:United States Antarctic Service
271:General Education Diploma (GED)
194:. Gibbs served as a member of
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501:U.S. Board on Geographic Names
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441:National Defense Service Medal
433:Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
338:. Gibbs wrote in his journal:
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680:. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
637:. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
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401:Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
278:Civilian Conservation Corps
172:George Washington Gibbs Jr.
32:George Washington Gibbs Jr.
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437:World War II Victory Medal
403:on November 13, 1942, the
213:. Gibbs then attended the
776:Retrieved August 1, 2012.
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330:On January 14, 1940, the
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914:American polar explorers
276:After brief work in the
889:Explorers of Antarctica
760:Smith, Adam Christian.
429:Navy Good Conduct Medal
371:Smithsonian Institution
215:University of Minnesota
160:Employment agency owner
919:20th-century explorers
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837:Smith, Jesse Carney.
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263:Jacksonville, Florida
114:Years of service
50:Jacksonville, Florida
382:Lieutenant Commander
289:Portsmouth, Virginia
227:Rochester, Minnesota
217:, graduating with a
158:personnel department
77:Rochester, Minnesota
66:Rochester, Minnesota
708:O'Connor, Colleen.
376:The captain of the
211:chief petty officer
192:Antarctic Peninsula
182:to set foot on the
178:, became the first
126:Chief Petty Officer
23:George W. Gibbs Jr.
676:2011-11-28 at the
633:2011-12-02 at the
267:Brooklyn, New York
176:United States Navy
108:United States Navy
858:Dougherty, Mike.
805:978-1-4329-4172-7
352:Stonington Island
199:Richard E. Byrd's
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165:chapter president
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132:Battles/wars
61:(2000-11-07)
884:2000 deaths
879:1916 births
493:Gibbs Point
488:Gibbs Point
457:Minneapolis
332:U.S.S. Bear
325:U.S.S. Bear
316:U.S.S. Bear
248:Gibbs Point
873:Categories
535:References
257:Early life
188:Antarctica
84:Allegiance
43:1916-11-07
29:Birth name
505:Gaul Cove
483:Memorials
295:U.S. Navy
234:Elks Club
184:continent
117:1935-1959
811:1 August
792:(2011).
674:Archived
631:Archived
523:See also
423:Post-war
416:Akatsuki
369:for the
102:Service/
405:Atlanta
242:Kiwanis
190:on the
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511:Others
431:, the
308:. The
142:Awards
104:branch
93:
712:. In
163:NAACP
843:ISBN
813:2012
800:ISBN
410:Hiei
378:Bear
122:Rank
56:Died
37:Born
225:at
223:IBM
186:of
156:IBM
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