Florence Reville Gibbs

Florence Reville Gibbs (née Reville; April 4, 1890 – August 19, 1964) was a Democratic congresswoman who became the first woman to represent Georgia in the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as a Representative from Georgia during a significant period in American history, holding office in the House of Representatives from October 3, 1940, to January 3, 1941. Her brief but notable tenure in Congress followed the death of her husband, whom she succeeded in a special election, and she contributed to the legislative process during one term in office.

Gibbs was born Florence Reville on April 4, 1890, in Thomson, McDuffie County, Georgia. She was the oldest child of Sallie Printup Reville and Thomas Porter Reville. Raised in Thomson, she attended the local public schools, reflecting the educational opportunities available in small-town Georgia at the turn of the twentieth century. Her early life in McDuffie County provided the foundation for her later engagement with public affairs and the concerns of Georgia communities.

After completing her primary and secondary education, Florence Reville pursued higher education at Brenau College in Gainesville, Georgia, an institution known for advancing women’s education in the South. Her graduation from Brenau College marked a significant achievement for a woman of her generation and social milieu, equipping her with the academic background and social connections that would later support her role in public life. Her education helped prepare her for the civic responsibilities she would assume as the spouse of a public official and, ultimately, as a member of Congress herself.

Florence Reville married Willis Benjamin Gibbs, commonly known as W. Benjamin Gibbs, a Georgia attorney and politician. The couple established their home in Georgia and had two children together. As her husband’s legal and political career developed, she became familiar with the political landscape of the state and the concerns of its citizens. This experience, gained through her role as a political spouse, would later inform her own service in the House of Representatives.

In 1938, W. Benjamin Gibbs was elected as a Democrat to represent Georgia’s Eighth Congressional District in the 76th United States Congress. He took his seat on January 3, 1939, and served until his death in 1940. His tenure in Congress coincided with a period of national and international tension on the eve of the United States’ entry into World War II, and his death created a vacancy in representation for the district. To fill this vacancy, a special election was called, providing the context in which Florence Gibbs entered national politics.

Florence Reville Gibbs was elected on October 3, 1940, as a Democrat in the special election to fill the vacant seat left by her husband’s death, and she was sworn into office the same day. Serving from October 3, 1940, to January 3, 1941, she represented Georgia in the United States House of Representatives during the closing months of the 76th Congress. As a member of the House, she participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of her constituents at a time when the nation was grappling with the final years of the Great Depression and the growing global conflict. Her election made her the first woman ever to represent Georgia in Congress, a milestone in the political history of both the state and the country. Although her service lasted only three months, she contributed to the legislative work of the House and ensured continuity of representation for Georgia’s Eighth District.

Gibbs chose not to run in the general election for the 77th United States Congress, and her service concluded when her term ended on January 3, 1941. After leaving Congress, she retired from public life and did not seek further elective office. She resided in Jesup, Georgia, where she lived quietly for the remainder of her life, maintaining her ties to the community and the state she had briefly represented at the national level.

Florence Reville Gibbs died in Jesup, Georgia, on August 19, 1964. Her life and career are remembered for her role as a pioneering woman in Georgia politics and for her service in the United States House of Representatives, where she broke new ground as the first woman to represent her state in Congress.