Rochester Loses Trailblazing Civil Rights Leader

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A pioneering Rochester civil rights leader has passed away.

Passing of Joyce Gibbs

The Rochester Branch of the NAACP today announced that Joyce Gibbs has died. A statement issued by the civil rights organization says she was born in 1933 and moved to Rochester with her late husband, George Gibbs, in 1963.

Arrived During Time of Racial Tensions

The NAACP statement described it as a time of significant racial tensions in the community, with she and her husband among the earliest Black families to make their home in Rochester, where they faced discrimination in housing, education, and daily life. The statement goes on to say that Joyce Gibbs “helped shape the fabric of a city still learning what equality, belonging, and inclusion truly meant.”

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Lifelong Educator

Joyce Gibbs was employed as a substitute teacher in Rochester Public Schools. In addition to her dedication to the civil rights movement and her family, she is also well remembered as a local Girl Scout leader.

“Joyce was also a thoughtful and courageous voice on issues of race, faith, and community. Through her writing and reflections, she spoke candidly about the realities of racism, reminding us that while laws may change, hearts must also change. She called on others to speak up, step forward, and be part of building a more just and compassionate society,” the Rochester Branch of the NAACP said.

 

Married to Founding Member of Rochester NAACP

Joyce Gibbs was married to George Gibbs for 47 years before he passed away in 2000. He was a founding member of the Rochester Branch of the NAACP and brought his family to Rochester, where he was employed by IBM. Along with his pioneering civil rights efforts, George Gibbs was a World War II veteran and served on the crew for the U.S. Navy’s 1939 expedition to Antarctica led by Admiral Richard Byrd.

Funeral arrangements for Joyce Gibbs are currently pending.

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