[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 165 (Friday, October 18, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1308]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 IN MEMORY OF REVEREND THEODORE GIBSON

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DONNA E. SHALALA

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 18, 2019

  Ms. SHALALA. Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Reverend Theodore 
Gibson, champion of civil rights in Miami.
  Born in 1915, Reverend Gibson emerged as a leader in South Florida's 
desegregation movement. Determined that his son would attend an 
integrated school, Reverend Gibson filed a lawsuit against Dade County 
Public Schools. He also led desegregation efforts at lunch counters and 
department stores, and even helped integrate Crandon Park Beach by 
leading a swim-in.
  Reverend Gibson served as president of the Miami NAACP from 1954 to 
1964. During that time, he refused to turn over the names of the 
members of the local NAACP chapter to the Florida state legislature, 
which was hunting for communist influence in American political 
organizations. Reverend Gibson was arrested and fined for standing up 
for the dignity of the NAACP.
  In 1972, Reverend Gibson was appointed to the Miami City Commission, 
where he continued to promote civil rights and empower African American 
communities. A powerful orator and moral leader, Reverend Gibson 
devoted himself to the Christ Episcopal Church in Coconut Grove, where 
he served as a rector until his death in 1982. He is survived by his 
wife, Thelma Gibson.
  Reverend Gibson dedicated his life to promoting the rights and 
welfare of the African American community of Miami. His influence 
continues to resonate in South Florida and will be felt for years to 
come. I'm proud to honor his memory.

                          ____________________