Old West Broad Neighborhood in Savannah in Chatham County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Dr. Ralph Mark Gilbert (1899-1956)
Father of the Civil Rights Movement in Savannah
Photographed by Brandon D Cross, November 15, 2025
1. Dr. Ralph Mark Gilbert (1899-1956) Marker
In 1942, Rev. Dr. Ralph Mark Gilbert, thirteenth pastor of First African Baptist Church, revived the Savannah branch and founded the Georgia Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) serving as president for both organizations. Gilbert formed the Savannah-based NAACP Youth Council and with his wife, Eloria Gilbert, established over 40 NAACP chapters in Georgia. When Rev. Primus King of Columbus successfully challenged and ended Georgia's Whites-only primaries in 1946, the Georgia Conference under Gilbert's leadership used its network to boost Black voter registration. White backlash connected to political campaigns prompted Gilbert to turn his attention to local Savannah politics and eventually step away from the NAACP state and local leadership by 1950. Gilbert's successor, Westley Wallace (W.W.) Law, founded the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum (1996) in his honor.
Erected 2025 by Erected by the Georgia Historical Society and the Savannah Branch of the NAACP. (Marker Number 25-72.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Notable Events
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Location. 32° 4.326′ N, 81° 6.006′ W. Marker is in Savannah, Georgia, in Chatham County. It is in the Old West Broad Neighborhood. It is at the intersection of Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard and West Gordon Lane, on the left when traveling south on Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard. The marker is located in front of the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 460 Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, Savannah GA 31401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Coastal Plain and on the Georgia Coast and the Golden Isles. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Saint Philip A.M.E. Church (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); De Lyon - De La Motta Cemetery (approx. 0.2 miles away); Louis B. Toomer: Founder of Carver State Bank (approx. 0.2 miles away); Tender Frame Shop & Master Mechanic's Office (approx. 0.2 miles away); Old Jewish Burial Ground (approx. 0.2 miles away); Turntable (approx. 0.2 miles away); Machine Shop (approx. 0.2 miles away); Workers' Garden (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Savannah.
Also see . . .
1. Ralph Mark Gilbert Honored with an Historical Marker outside of Civil Rights Museum
Photographed by Brandon D Cross, November 15, 2025
2. Dr. Ralph Mark Gilbert (1899-1956) Marker
2. Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum: The History of Savannahs Civil Rights Movement. (Submitted on November 15, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 11, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 15, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 83 times since then and 58 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 15, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
