Look to the past and you will thrive in the future. History has a funny way of reappearing time and time again in life.
Sean Gibson is no stranger to history. He is the great-grandson of former Negro Leagues slugger Josh Gibson and is continuing his grandfather's legacy through the Josh Gibson Foundation.
For those who don't know, Josh Gibson played in the Negro Leagues from 1930-1946. He smacked more than 800 home runs during his career and was known as “the Black Babe Ruth.” Gibson was a 12-time Negro League All-Star and two-time Negro League World Series champion. His accomplishments are known by many, including being one of the few men to hit a ball out of Yankee Stadium. Josh Gibson was inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame by Negro League Committee in 1972.
“My grandfather, John Gibson Jr., began the foundation in the early 1990's in order to preserve the legacy of his dad, my great-grandfather, Josh Gibson,” said Gibson. “I began with the organization around 1995.”
The Josh Gibson foundation is an organization that provides scholarships and activities for the inner-city youth in Pittsburgh. Their Mission Statement is one of honor, hard work and pursuit of the American Dream. It reads as follows.
“The Josh Gibson Foundation believes in the endless possibilities for potential in today's youth. By providing academic and athletic programs that foster leadership and scholarship, the skills necessary for tomorrow's successes are created today. Our goal is to carry on the legacy of greatness and accomplishment embodied by Josh Gibson, by developing programs that help children of every level of ability reach their potential, and to create opportunities that set The Josh Gibson Foundation apart from other organizations and provides value for our communities.”
The foundation has accomplished great things to help children in the Pittsburgh area. One such accomplishment is the providing of scholarships to worthy candidates. The scholarships are used for “higher education institutes and colleges.”
“We choose three high school seniors every year,” said Gibson. “Each student receives $2000 worth in scholarship money. We are proud of our work ethic to help those strive for a better education.
The Foundation also allows some high school students to sign up for sports business electives. Gibson wants students to learn the business side of sports so they can be better prepared for the future.
“Our program BOSA, or also known as Business of Sports Academy is a new project,” he said. “It's only been around for two years. We have a three-year contract with some public schools in Pittsburgh for the program. One day, I hope to expand the program nationally so others can partake in the program.”
While the foundation continues to be a program of great success, Gibson hopes one day he and his team can have his own learning center.
“I want everyone to learn about what my great-grandfather stood for,” said Gibson. I am very happy with our current building, but I one day I want people to come and learn about our foundation first-hand. I want a complex with a baseball field where people can play the game.”
From interviewing Sean Gibson, I can tell he has a great amount of integrity and loves what he does. His great-grandfather was an influential part of Negro League Baseball and the changing of America. Through his battles against Satchel Paige and other Negro League greats, Josh Gibson became a role model for African American youth. His legacy can also be appreciated and respected by all Americans. I wish Sean Gibson and the entire Josh Gibson foundation great success in the future. If you want to learn more about the Josh Gibson foundation, please check out their website www.joshgibson.org .
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