NAACP Founders
In 1908, a deadly race riot rocked the city of Springfield, eruptions of anti-black violence – particularly lynching – were horrifically commonplace, but the Springfield riot was the final tipping point that led to the creation of the NAACP. Appalled at this rampant violence, a group of white liberals that included Mary White Ovington and Oswald Garrison Villard (both the descendants of famous abolitionists), William English Walling and Dr. Henry Moscowitz issued a call for a meeting to discuss racial justice. Some 60 people, seven of whom were African American (including W. E. B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, and Mary Church Terrell), signed the call, which was released on the centennial of Lincoln's birth.
On February 12, 1909, the nation's largest and most widely recognized civil rights organization was born.
Echoing the focus of Du Bois' Niagara Movement for civil rights, which began in 1905, NAACP aimed to secure for all people the rights guaranteed in the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution, which promised an end to slavery, provide equal protection of the law, and the right for all men to vote, respectively. Accordingly, the NAACP's mission is to ensure the political, educational, equality of minority group citizens of States and eliminate race prejudice. The NAACP works to remove all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes.
Rochester Branch of the NAACP Founded in 1965
George Washington Gibbs Jr. ( November 7, 1916 – November 7, 2000) moved to Rochester, Minnesota in 1963 to work at IBM. In 1965, Gibbs helped to found the Rochester Branch of the NAACP. He was the “Heart and Soul” of the early Rochester Branch of the NAACP. George W. Gibbs, Jr. was the first person of African descent to set foot on Antarctica (the South Pole). A sailor in the United States Navy, Gibbs became the first person of African descent to set foot on the continent of Antarctica on the Antarctic Peninsula (South Pole). Gibbs served as a member of Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd's third Antarctic expedition, also known as the United States Antarctic Service Expedition (1939–1941) on January 14, 1940. In addition, Gibbs served as a gunner in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After 24 years service in the U.S. Navy, Gibbs retired in 1959 as a chief petty officer before moving to Rochester.
The history and mettle of the NAACP is a very strong one and the Rochester Branch of the NAACP is no exception. Subsequent distinguished leaders of the Rochester NAACP and our executive committee remain dedicated to advancing social justice, race equity, diversity-equity-inclusion so that we can achieve our vision where all individuals have equal rights and there is no racial hatred or racial discrimination.
Learn more about George Washington Gibbs.
