The historic John A. Gibson School building has been sold and will no longer serve the Communication Action Program Committee’s Head Start program. Gibson was an educator and community leader in his native Bahamas before moving to Pensacola in 1872. With decades of teaching and administrative experience, he became a leader in Pensacola’s new post-war education system. He taught and served as a principal at many Pensacola schools and led efforts to recruit and train African-American teachers in Escambia County. He co-founded the Institute of Colored Teachers of Escambia County, which campaigned for national policies that strengthened education for African-American students. Before being renamed to honor Gibson, the elementary school on North C Street was Public School No. 103 because Escambia County's segregated black schools were originally given only numbers.  For over 50 years, the John A. Gibson School served as a monument to Mr. Gibson’s great impact on African-American education in Pensacola. When it closed in 1974, the school became the headquarters of Escambia’s County Head Start Program. The property’s sale has forced Head Start to transfer its dozens of children and families to two other locations, but transportation is a problem. On Saturday, Dec. 30, from 10 am. - 12 p.m. at 710 North C Street, the Community Action Program Committee will host a commencement ceremony and celebration of the decades of support that the Gibson School Head Start program has offered families in downtown Pensacola. They ask any current or former student, family member, staff, or community member that has memorabilia from the Gibson School Head Start to please bring it to the farewell event. Please call 850-857-8652 ext. 202 to attend the event.