A LOOK BACK: KAPPA HISTORY
John T. Gibson
By Kevin Scott, Grand Historian
D uring the 1880s–1920s, the vaudeville genre was a popular form of entertainment per- formed at American theaters, primarily owned and operated by Whites. These theaters prin- cipally catered to White audiences, while Black patrons were relegated to balcony seats. Many of these perfor- mances featured minstrel shows and other demeaning, stereotypical parodies that depicted Blacks in a negative way, who relished plantation life as a slave. The scarcity of Black theater proprietors limited the opportunities for Black entertainers to perform, and some restricted Black patrons from attending, especially in choice seats. John T. Gibson’s 1919 purchase of Philadelphia’s Standard Theater significantly altered the Black theater experience. He booked high-quality Black performances and offered an upscale venue for Black patrons without the restriction of segregated seating. Chance, Circumstances Created Extraordinary Success John Trusty Gibson was born February 4, 1878, in Baltimore, Maryland, where he briefly attended Morgan College (now Morgan State University). He relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1899, where he spent the remainder of his life. Gibson performed a variety of odd jobs, including work as a meat peddler and furniture up- holsterer, before embarking on a vocation in theater man- agement and proprietorship. In 1910, Gibson became part owner of “The North Pole,” a small theater that featured vaudeville acts and silent films to the Black Philadelphia community. Two years later, Gibson purchased the theater from his co-owner, Samuel Reading, for $800. With this acquisition, Gibson became the first Black person to own The Meteoric Rise and Tragic Fall of a Pioneering Black Theatrical Magnate and Philantropist
John T. Gibson
a theater in Philadelphia. Other theaters were controlled and operated by multiple individuals. Gibson was the first person known to own a theater independently. He renamed the theater “The Auditorium,” but failed to increase business and closed soon thereafter. Undeterred by the failure of his first theater ownership, Gibson became a co-owner of the “Standard Theatre” in April 1913. The following year, Gibson purchased and became sole owner of the 1,800-seat amphitheater for $47,760. That amount would be equivalent to $1.4 million in 2022. He renamed it “Gibson’s New Standard Theatre.” It featured two tiers of opera box seats on each side of the house, a balcony, and a gallery with a roomy, deep-carpeted, and beautifully decorated orchestra section. Gib- son recognized that an outstanding ambiance would accent his patron’s experience. Immediately after acquiring the theater, Gib- son made renovations to the facility. He removed the dilapidated wood gates on the front and replaced them with modern iron gates, thereby increasing the house's ventilation. Gibson stated, “Give our people up-to-date places, and they will support them.” Before Gibson acquired the theater, it had changed owner- ship several times and never garnered success. Under Gibson’s ownership and management, other notable changes were made that would begin to lay the foundation for his future success. He observed how the theater industry consistently mistreated Black entertainers and patrons. He vowed that he would treat all cus-
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