Profile Series: Mifflin Wistar Gibbs

Mifflin Wistar Gibbs (1823 – 1915) was a Canadian-American businessman, judge, lawyer, politician, and black rights activist. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, worked in San Francisco, then moved […]
Published on March 6, 2021

Mifflin Wistar Gibbs (1823 – 1915) was a Canadian-American businessman, judge, lawyer, politician, and black rights activist. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, worked in San Francisco, then moved to Victoria. In 1866, he won a seat on City Council and became the first Black person to be elected in British Columbia and the second in Canada. Gibbs helped guide B.C. to join Confederation. Later, he moved back to the U.S. and earned a law degree. In 1873, Gibbs was elected police judge of Little Rock, Arkansas making him the first elected black municipal judge in the U.S.

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