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and said he never attended a council meeting without first saying a prayer. He said his favorite Bible verse was
Galatians 6:2-3, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if any one thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself" a quotation read to him by
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Gibson suffered a heart attack in 1974, but "it was his wife's death in 1978 that seemed to take the biggest toll." He died at his home on April 22, 1987, when he was recuperating from hip surgery. Funeral services were held at the First
Baptist Church in San Pedro, and interment was at
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461:, the youngest municipal executive at that time ever to serve in the United States. "On the second floor of City Hall was the council and the judge's chambers," he told a reporter in 1975. "When the judge died I served in his place for about a year because I was also the mayor."
549:(MECLA), a homosexual-rights group, put $ 5,000 into the campaign of Jim Stanberry, enough to force Gibson into an unaccustomed runoff election. Gibson responded to this unusual challenge by attacking Stanberry for accepting the money and for his membership in the left-wing
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Though he often described himself as a "conservative
Democrat," when he was first named president of the City Council in 1953 he was identified as a part of the "so-called liberal bloc," and he appointed other such councilmen—like
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that ignored housing for the poor and that would result in "larger inner-city ghettos." He objected to policies that allowed large lots in more affluent parts of town but, he said, concentrated apartments in the poorer sections.
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Permissiveness is destroying the morality of the young people and contributes to rising crime. I don't claim to be sinless, but as long as I breathe a breath I shall do my best to at least all people's attention to these
497:, chairman of the board of the First Baptist Church of San Pedro, treasurer of the Harbor Association of Evangelicals and a member of the Christian Businessmen's Association. He founded California's first
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He was the only City
Council member who did not use a private office but preferred to work "elbow-to-elbow with his staff in a large City Hall room, generally in his shirt sleeves."
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of their committee positions in 1975 and "assign them to obscure and unimportant panels" after the two of them had opposed Gibson's bid for reelection as council president.
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Gibson was frequently described as a "nice guy," with an "easygoing, affable manner" and a "folksy sense of humor," but he could also be cantankerous and vindictive, the
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of 1965. He was also left to handle a 1973 energy crisis. His "calm handling of those crises won him respect—and an unofficial title as the city's 'panic mayor.' "
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He blocked a community plan for San Pedro for nearly twenty years "because he opposed government-mandated controls on growth." In 1973 he agreed with
Councilman
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Gibson moved with his wife and children to
California in 1926 or 1927, where he worked for his father-in-law's Long Beach dairy for a year before relocating to
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He at one point ordered the locking of exits from the council chamber and the posting of police guards to prevent the possible breaking of a quorum.
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Gibson set a record of sixteen years as City
Council president (1953–61 and 1969–77), leading his colleagues to designate him as president
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374:(August 11, 1902 – April 22, 1987) was an American politician, whose career spanned many decades and two states. A member of the
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In his honor, several landmarks in the 15th district bear his name. In 1973, the council unanimously voted to name a
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when he retired from the council in 1981, the only person ever honored in that way. He was thus acting mayor when
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in San Pedro. He was a hunter and fisherman and, as a council member, regularly sponsored a fishing derby at the
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In 1975 he said he was upset by laws that would reduce penalties for possession of marijuana. He added:
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After high school, he worked in his father's bank and at age 21 became the mayor of the small town of
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With Yorty out of town on a
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who "made no attempt to separate his religious beliefs from his politics." He admired
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at the corner of S. Harbor and 6th street was given his name, and in 1984, the
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with pictures of the Naval
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Austin Scott, "L.A. Homosexuals Create Own Brand of
Political Activism,"
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Erwin Baker, "City Council Exits Locked to Prevent Breaking of Quorum,"
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Dean Murphy, " 'Mr. Gibson':A Councilman of Deep Faith, Hard Work,"
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tried unsuccessfully to unseat Gibson as council president in 1975.
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857:"My mother was a very religious woman and worked a whole lot with
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made him the youngest elected mayor in the nation at the time.
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and became president of the Citizens Bank there in 1930 and a
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building ("city hall") of San Pedro was also named for him.
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Gibson was married on January 16, 1923, to Mina Workman of
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Despite being politically powerful in San Pedro, Gibson
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Jean Merl, "Ex-Council Chief John S. Gibson Jr. Dies,"
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He "loathed laws and regulations that he felt hampered
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Gibson ringing the Korean Bell of Friendship in 1976.
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Irv Burleigh, "Gibson Known as the 'Panic Mayor,' "
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Irv Burleigh, "Ideology Root in Religious Beliefs,"
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his mother when he became mayor of Geneseo, Kansas.
445:, Gibson graduated from Geneseo High School and the
394:. Earlier in his life, Gibson's tenure as Mayor of
390:from 1951 and 1981, and did two lengthy stints as
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930:Sid Bernstein, "City Council Race Turns Bitter,"
812:"Gibson Announces Entry Into Mayoralty Contest,"
417:, but did not qualify for the ballot. He ran for
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1016:"Church Gets Officials' Favorite Bible Verses,"
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764:links may require the use of a library card.
489:In 1951 he was on the board of the San Pedro
547:Municipal Elections Committee of Los Angeles
1128:Daily Breeze Article Accessed March 9, 2023
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861:against alcohol," Gibson recalled in 1975.
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904:Los Angeles Public Library reference file
662:Gibson played a key role in bringing the
43:President of the Los Angeles City Council
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600:and tenants seeking protection through
530:In 1951 Gibson successfully challenged
433:Gibson was born on August 11, 1902, in
407:ran at least three times unsuccessfully
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1117:LA Times Article Accessed Oct 13, 2011
423:United States House of Representatives
135:July 1, 1967 – June 30, 1969
88:July 1, 1969 – June 30, 1977
55:July 1, 1953 – June 30, 1961
1089:Location of John S. Gibson Blvd. on
843:"Candidates in Primary Give Views,"
536:Los Angeles City Council District 15
509:Los Angeles City Council (1951–1981)
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828:"John Gibson: Best for Assessor,"
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1303:20th-century American politicians
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1060:He said in 1975 she was born in
936:With a map of the 15th District.
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475:American Institute of Banking
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316:; died 1978)
816:September 26, 1956, page B-1
642:that the city was following
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1078:April 24, 1987, page SD-A-4
746:Los Angeles Maritime Museum
740:after him. In 1977 a small
419:Los Angeles County Assessor
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1293:Mayors of places in Kansas
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983:"Nice Guy Finishes Fast,"
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628:religious fundamentalist
626:He was a self-described
558:Los Angeles City Council
453:Mayor of Geneseo, Kansas
429:Early life and education
384:Los Angeles City Council
166:Los Angeles City Council
123:Los Angeles City Council
987:July 17, 1975, page C-6
888:July 7, 1975, page OC-2
560:member—30 years, after
551:Peace and Freedom Party
382:, Gibson served on the
1050:May 10, 1973, page C-1
934:May 23, 1977, page C-1
847:May 26, 1968, page C-1
832:May 24, 1962, page A-4
760:Access to some of the
722:Palos Verdes Peninsula
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606:condominium conversion
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471:San Pedro, Los Angeles
409:for other offices. In
336:San Pedro, Los Angeles
1240:President Pro Tempore
950:March 7, 1951, page 7
690:was out of the city.
664:Dodgers baseball club
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439:Constantine, Michigan
118:President Pro Tempore
1283:California Democrats
534:, the incumbent, in
505:for local children.
447:University of Kansas
421:in 1962 and for the
415:Mayor of Los Angeles
356:University of Kansas
738:Port of Los Angeles
443:Lynn, Massachusetts
345:Geneseo High School
16:American politician
1076:Los Angeles Times,
1048:Los Angeles Times,
1033:Los Angeles Times,
1018:Los Angeles Times,
1003:Los Angeles Times,
985:Los Angeles Times,
970:Los Angeles Times,
948:Los Angeles Times,
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886:Los Angeles Times,
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830:Los Angeles Times,
814:Los Angeles Times,
799:Los Angeles Times,
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519:Negro History Week
503:Los Angeles Harbor
479:general contractor
372:John S. Gibson Jr.
23:John S. Gibson Jr.
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1252:Succeeded by
1233:Thomas D. Shepard
1220:Succeeded by
1202:Succeeded by
1176:Joan Milke Flores
1173:Succeeded by
762:Los Angeles Times
666:from Brooklyn to
644:planning policies
613:Los Angeles Times
598:environmentalists
521:resolution, 1958.
413:, Gibson ran for
369:
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206:Joan Milke Flores
146:Thomas D. Shepard
1315:
1298:Kansas Democrats
1255:Robert Stevenson
1230:Preceded by
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495:Youth for Christ
376:Democratic Party
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485:Philanthropy
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299:Mina Workman
268:(1987-04-22)
220:
201:Succeeded by
178:
153:Succeeded by
130:
111:John Ferraro
106:Succeeded by
83:
73:Succeeded by
50:
1278:1987 deaths
1273:1902 births
1105:Google Maps
1091:Google Maps
695:Watts Riots
617:Pat Russell
587:Gordon Hahn
540:Pat Russell
273:Los Angeles
189:Preceded by
141:Preceded by
94:Preceded by
61:Preceded by
1267:Categories
1249:1967-1969
1199:1969–1977
1197:1953–1961
1170:1951–1981
1062:Long Beach
756:References
674:Presidency
351:Alma mater
288:Democratic
277:California
245:1902-08-11
750:municipal
736:near the
734:boulevard
688:Sam Yorty
572:Positions
526:Elections
499:Boys Club
481:in 1941.
425:in 1968.
380:San Pedro
342:Education
332:Residence
225:1923–1924
221:In office
183:1951–1981
179:In office
131:In office
84:In office
51:In office
680:emeritus
658:matters.
386:for the
324:Children
172:district
168:for the
1242:of the
1143:Website
720:on the
396:Geneseo
318:
306:
302:
252:Geneseo
120:of the
728:Legacy
465:Career
400:Kansas
312:
294:Spouse
279:, U.S.
258:, U.S.
256:Kansas
378:from
308:(
304:
742:park
619:and
604:and
491:YMCA
411:1957
314:1923
263:Died
239:Born
170:15th
686:or
1269::
993:^
956:^
894:^
868:^
771:^
724:.
449:.
398:,
310:m.
275:,
254:,
1064:.
327:2
247:)
243:(
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