In September, Rochester, Minnesota, opened a new elementary school named to honor George Washington Gibbs Jr. (1916-2000), for his pre-World War II service in Antarctica as well as his civil rights leadership in Rochester.

Also in September, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names confirmed a place name in Antarctica for Gibbs, the first black explorer to set foot in the continent. The site, called Gibbs Point, is at the entrance to Gaul’s Cove. (A map appears with a news release from the International Polar Year site.)

An enlisted sailor, Gibbs was chosen in 1939 from nearly 2,000 applicants to join the newly formed United States Antarctic Service, headed by Admiral Richard Byrd. The charge from President Franklin Roosevelt was to establish two bases in Antarctica. A year later, Gibbs was the first man from his ship, the USS Bear, to set foot on the continent and the first African American explorer.

The expedition (1939-1941) carried out scientific studies until the bases were evacuated due to concerns about safety leading to World War II. During the war, Gibbs saw combat in the South Pacific and remained in the navy until he retired in 1959. He spent the rest of his life in Rochester as a businessman and community leader.