Fannie Gibbs was a friend of WWALS since its beginning. Others will recall her life. Here we recall her water advocacy.

Fannie Marie Jackson Gibbs, August 6, 1953-July 19, 2026, Juneteenth, Reed Bingham SP, When Great Trees Fall

First, Fannie in a boat. This was at Juneteenth at Reed Bingham State Park, June 19, 2021.

Fannie Gibbs getting into the lake, 2026-06-19 –Gretchen Quarterman for WWALS

Fannie Gibbs of Macedonia Community Foundation and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, 2026-06-19 –Gretchen Quarterman for WWALS

Fannie’s Macedonia Community Foundation provided food and brought children.

Gretchen and Fannie’s grandchildren, 2026-06-19 –John S. Quarterman for WWALS

WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. (WWALS) got children into boats, often for their first time ever, often along with WWALS stunt adults.

Coming in, 2026-06-19 –John S. Quarterman for WWALS

Fannie approved of the WWALS letter to Lowndes County on October 12, 2021, opposing closing Wells Road, which is the access to Folsom Bridge Landing on the Little River, and the site of the Mary Turner Memorial.

Wells Road closed, Folsom Bridge Landing, Mary Turner Lynching Site memorial, 2021-10-12 –jsq for WWALS

Later that same day, the Lowndes County Commission unanimously denied the request to close that road.

Fannie and Macedonia Community Foundation were among those who originally advocated placing a marker at that site. The original sign is now in Hahira, replaced by that steel cross, due to vandalism. Here is what it looked like in place, and what it said.

Mary Turner and The Little River, 2024-01-11 –Fannie Marie Gibbs

I am told by a neighbor that the actual site was across the river in Brooks County, and on the other side of the bridge. This was the closest accessible site.

Fannie was a font of information about this incident, and the many people who fled to Chicago, including some who owned land along the Little and Withlacoochee Rivers. She was in touch with some of their descendants.

Fannie was a featured speaker at the first WWALS gala, WWALS River Revue 2023.

WWALS River Revue Flyer, 2023-07-20

“Fannie Marie Jackson Gibbs was born August 6, 1953, at 5234 Jackson Road in Morven, GA 31638. She was brought into this world kicking and screaming, (said by family), with the assistance of her Grandmother, a noted and documented midwife, Pollie Mae James Jackson, who learned this skill from her Grandfather, one Ben Davis, an enslaved man of Haitian descent owned by Pliney Sheffield, I and II, documented in history as among America’s richest plantation owners. Ben Davis is credited with saving Pliney II’s life at the Battle of the Wilderness in Virginia. Fannie began documenting and researching all the stories told by her Grandma and others and has made it her life’s passion to strive for the universal message of Juneteenth — None are Free Until All Are Free. Fannie spends her time punishing her grands and others with history lessons at every turn. She is currently spearheading efforts to preserve African and Native American history through The Macedonia Community Foundation, Inc. She enjoys activism and has never met a cause she could not find a lesson to teach.”

Fannie talked about all that and more in the first WWALS Webinar, by zoom on January 11, 2024.

Fannie Gibbs, first WWALS Webinar and sample slides, 2024-01-11

“Fannie Marie Jackson Gibbs of Brooks County, Georgia, has long been active in issues near the Little and Withlacoochee Rivers, especially involving African-American family history. She talked about Brooks County Georgia Settlers, family history, Old and New Macedonia Cemeteries, the Little River, Okapilco Creek, the annual Juneteenth celebrations she organizes at Reed Bingham State Park Lake where WWALS brings boats, and the ongoing sewage problems in Quitman.”

Here’s the video: https://youtu.be/6cwagRGx_-Y

The Macedonia Cemeteries were a long-time concern of Fannie, partly because of ancestors buried there.

Macedonia Cemeteries: Dre and Hope, 2024-01-11 –Fannie Marie Gibbs
PDF

We did Juneteenth again in 2024.

Boating at Juneteenth, Reed Bingham SP 2024-06-22, WWALS & Macedonia Community Foundation

Fannie encouraged us to do Juneteenth at Reed Bingham again in 2026, even though she was too ill to attend.

Juneteenth with new boaters, Reed Bingham State Park Beach, Little River 2026-06-20, And food!

Fannie’s grandchildren Andre and Aisha Gibbs and friends and relatives brought the food and the games for children, while granddaughter Jasmine attended to Fannie at home.

June 19, 2027, is on a Saturday, so that’s the most likely next time for this Juneteenth celebration.

We saw Fannie, Aisha, and Jasmine on June 29, 2026. She was pleased with what she heard and the pictures she saw from Juneteenth.

Aisha, Jasmine, and Fannie Gibbs, Gretchen Quarterman, 2026-06-29 –jsq for WWALS

And when great souls die,
after a period peace blooms,
slowly and always
irregularly. Spaces fill
with a kind of
soothing electric vibration.
Our senses, restored, never
to be the same, whisper to us.
They existed. They existed.
We can be. Be and be
better. For they existed.

When Great Trees Fall, by Maya Angelou

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

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