Mifflin Wistar Gibbs

Mifflin Wistar Gibbs
Born	Template:Birth date Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died	July 11, 1915(1915-07-11) (aged 92) Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
Occupation(s)	Politician, entrepreneur, newspaper publisher, civil rights advocate, lawyer, judge, diplomat
Years active	1850s–1900s
Known for	First African American judge elected in the United States; first black newspaper in California; first African American elected to public office in British Columbia; American consul to Madagascar

Mifflin Wistar Gibbs (April 17, 1823 – July 11, 1915) was a Canadian politician, entrepreneur, newspaper publisher, and civil rights advocate originally from the United States. He relocated to California amid the California Gold Rush and emerged as one of the pioneering African American settlers in San Francisco. Gibbs established California’s inaugural black newspaper and played a prominent role in the early California State Convention of Colored Citizens.

Following the enactment of exclusionary laws in California in 1858, he spearheaded a movement encouraging African Americans to migrate to Victoria, Canada, during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush. He resided there for a decade and became the first African American elected to public office in British Columbia on November 16, 1866, securing a position on Victoria City Council.

After the conclusion of the American Civil War, Gibbs returned to the United States, settling in Little Rock, Arkansas. There, he practiced law and engaged actively in Reconstruction politics. In 1873, he achieved the distinction of becoming the first black judge elected in the United States. Later, in 1897 under President William McKinley, Gibbs was appointed as American consul to Madagascar.

Early life

Born on April 17, 1823, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mifflin Wistar Gibbs was the second child among four siblings. His father served as a Methodist minister. As a young man, Gibbs became involved with the abolitionist movement and worked alongside Frederick Douglass. He was also an active member of Philadelphia’s Philomathean Society, a literary group that included Douglass and other notable African American figures. Philadelphia had long maintained a free black community with established economic opportunities that predated slavery’s abolition.

San Francisco, California

Gibbs arrived in San Francisco toward the end of 1850 during the California Gold Rush. Initially attempting to find work as a carpenter, he encountered racial barriers that prompted him to shift focus toward commerce. Partnering with Nathan Pointer, he operated a clothing business; later in 1851, together with Peter Lester, he launched the Emporium for Boot and Shoes at 638 Clay Street, specializing in imported footwear. Despite their commercial achievements, Gibbs and Lester endured social exclusion and physical attacks rooted in racial prejudice. At that time, African Americans in California faced disenfranchisement—they were prohibited from jury duty, barred from testifying against white individuals in court, and denied voting rights.

In 1851, Gibbs co-founded Alta California, which was then California’s only African-American newspaper. Subsequently, he became owner and contributor of the Mirror of the Times. He also took part in several statewide black conventions between 1854 and 1857 and worked with Lester to oppose poll taxes imposed in San Francisco.

The year 1858 saw the passage of discriminatory legislation by the California State Legislature that limited black property ownership rights, restricted their ability to testify in court, and required African Americans to wear identifying badges. In reaction to these oppressive laws, Gibbs and two associates met with Sir James Douglas, governor of British Columbia, seeking assurances for improved treatment of black residents. Douglas pledged equal rights for all inhabitants within his jurisdiction.

Immigration to Canada

Beginning in 1858, Gibbs guided between six hundred and eight hundred African American individuals, many accompanied by their families, from California to British Columbia. A number of these settlers established themselves on Vancouver Island, becoming an integral part of the early frontier population. In 1861, Gibbs, along with 52 other African Americans from this group, obtained British citizenship through naturalization. During his decade-long stay in Canada, he pursued a career as a merchant and also participated actively in political affairs.

The black electorate played a pivotal role in the 1860 Vancouver Island Legislative election, contributing to the defeat of Amor De Cosmos.

Victoria City Council

Gibbs sought election to the Victoria City Council in 1862 but narrowly missed winning by four votes. He successfully secured a council seat in 1867 and served until 1869.

Confederation Movement

In 1868, Gibbs acted as a delegate for Salt Spring Island at the Yale Convention, an influential gathering that helped facilitate British Columbia’s entry into Canadian confederation.

Return to United States

After roughly ten years in Canada, Gibbs returned to the United States and established residence in Little Rock. He studied law, passed the bar exam in 1870, and became actively involved with the Republican Party. Throughout his career, he held various judicial and governmental positions, including serving as county attorney for Pulaski County. In 1872, he participated as a delegate at the National Convention of Colored Men held in New Orleans.

In 1873, Gibbs was elected city judge as a Republican candidate, marking him as the first African American judge elected in the nation.

By 1876, he had been chosen president of the National Convention of Colored Men and appointed register of the United States Land Office in Little Rock. He attended the Republican National Conventions of 1876, 1880, and 1884 and was counted among the "immortal 306" who supported Ulysses S. Grant’s pursuit of a third presidential nomination in 1880. Gibbs became a member of the Little Rock Bar Association in 1882.

Through his legal practice and real estate ventures, Gibbs accumulated considerable wealth. In 1897, he received an appointment as American consul to Madagascar. During his tenure there, he mentored William Henry Hunt, who later became the first African American career diplomat for the United States. After returning stateside in 1901, Gibbs assumed leadership of a predominantly African-American bank located in Little Rock.

Personal life

Gibbs married Maria Ann Alexander, with whom he had two daughters during their time in British Columbia. The family relocated to Oberlin in 1869; both daughters pursued higher education there. Maria Ann had previously attended Oberlin College from 1852 to 1854. Their daughter Ida Alexander Gibbs (1862–1957) earned both bachelor's and master's degrees in English, while Harriet Gibbs Marshall graduated from Oberlin’s Music Conservatory in 1889 and went on to become a distinguished concert pianist, author, and educator.

Ida developed a friendship with William Henry Hunt—whom Gibbs employed as his aide during his consulship in Tamatave, Madagascar. Hunt succeeded Gibbs as American consul there and served until 1932.

In 1902, Gibbs acquired property at 902 T Street, NW, Washington, D.C., where Harriet operated the Washington Conservatory of Music, recognized as one of the most successful female-owned businesses nationwide at that time.

Gibbs passed away at age 92 on July 11, 1915, in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was laid to rest at Oakland-Fraternal Cemetery.

Legacy

Both the M. W. Gibbs High School and Gibbs Elementary School in Little Rock were initially established as segregated institutions for African-American children and were named in his honor. Additionally, the M. W. Gibbs Nursing Home in Little Rock carried his namesake.

In 2016, the city of Victoria, British Columbia, designated November 19 as 'Mifflin Wistar Gibbs Day' to commemorate him as the first Black individual elected to public office within the province. A plaque was installed in 2019 at Irving Park in Victoria, accompanied by the dedication of a 'Mifflin Wistar Gibbs Study Room' in the local public library.

See also

• California State Convention of Colored Citizens
• List of African-American jurists
• List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Arkansas

Further reading

• Gibbs, Mifflin Wistar. Shadow and Light: An Autobiography with Reminiscences of the Last and Present Century. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press, 1995.
• McGinty, Doris E. "The Washington Conservatory of Music and School of Expression," Black perspectives in music, vol 7, no. 1, spring 1979.

External links

• Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online