Sam Gibbons Celebrates His 90th Birthday!

On January 20, 2010, Sam Gibbons celebrated his 90th birthday.

Growing up, I had two “Uncle Sam’s”—the fictional one that all Americans share, and my Uncle Sam Gibbons, a truly remarkable man, whose life story and achievements are amazing.

On the evening of his 90th birthday, 250 friends and relatives gathered to salute Sam at the year-old Hillsborough County History Museum. A panel of long-time friends and community leaders comprised of former Circuit Judge John F. Germany, Former State Attorney and Second District Court of Appeal Judge E.J. Salcines, and former State Senator, Education Commissioner and University of South Florida President, Betty Castor, participated in a discussion of just a few of the major accomplishments of the long and distinguished public service career of Sam Gibbons.

“Mr. Sam” as he was often affectionately called by many of his Congressional Constituents for 34 years, was in his element. Never adverse to public speaking, he was particularly eloquent, witty, poignant, reflective, and sharp Wednesday evening, and he had the audience hanging on nearly every word.

A two- hour program is hardly enough time to scratch the surface of Sam’s many accomplishments. Yet, he is always the first to say that it was his honor to have been able to serve our community, our state, and our nation in public service for 44 years. He is always humble and always gives the credit to those around him.

Much has been written about Sam’s distinguished service in World War II, as a paratrooper involved in the invasion of Normandy on D-Day. After surviving a hailstorm of bullets that night, he eventually met up with his unit and discovered that he was the highest ranking soldier who survived and immediately became the leader of his unit. He never relinquished that role of leader for the rest of his life. Our city, state, and nation are a better place because of that leadership.

In addition to being a wonderful brother, father, husband, uncle, and grandfather, Sam took on public service to give to others, and always had his focus on those less fortunate than himself.

He is a firm believer in the public education system and in pre-school programs, especially for the disadvantaged. That’s why he created the Head Start Program and arranged for the very first Head Start program to begin in Tampa.

He fought hard to get the State Legislature to approve a new state University in Tampa, and 50 years ago got a bill passed in the State Legislature to create the University of South Florida. Wednesday night, he gave most of the credit to John Germany for convincing Gov. Leroy Collins to sign the bill into law. Always giving the credit to others.

In Congress he was on the "right side" of votes for the Voting Rights Act, Medicare and Medicaid. He was a supporter of the war on poverty and supported urban renewal to improve the poorer areas of town.

When Spiro Agnew resigned in shame, it was Sam who pushed others in the House for Congressman Gerald Ford to be tapped as the Vice President. Sam could reach across the aisle to members of the other party like Gerald Ford and knew him to be honest and qualified to assume the position of Vice President in a time of scandal and turmoil. When Richard Nixon resigned, Gerald Ford became President.

Sam worked with Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton before retiring from Congress in 1996 after assuming the Chairmanship of the prestigious House Ways and Means Committee.

He is a strong advocate of Peace, having seen the horrors of war. He was instrumental in organizing members of the House to stop funding the Vietnam War when Sam told President Johnson that he didn’t believe that we could win an infantry war in Vietnam, and President Johnson replied that we were not there to win. So Sam began the process of getting enough votes to stop the funding of the war.

War Hero becomes Peace Activist.

Sam is an unapologetic staunch supporter of Free Trade. “Countries who trade with each other don’t go to war with each other.” He repeated that quote twice for emphasis Wednesday night. You know, he’s right about that.

If you have an IRA account that can grow tax free until you retire, you can thank Sam. It was his idea.

I could go on and on, and not begin to list all of Sam’s accomplishments. I can tell you that not a day goes by that I do not run into someone in town who he helped with a problem.

Sam was comfortable in the African American community, in West Tampa, or in the presence of foreign leaders and Presidents.

Sam and my Aunt Martha were the ultimate public servants. I hear it from people I run into every day. I am blessed to be related to them, but we are all blessed by what they have done for us in this community.

Big shoes reside in Sam’s closet. Big shoes indeed. I know I’m somewhat biased, but he is a Statesman, in every sense of the word.

Happy Birthday, Uncle Sam. We love you.

And as he said Wednesday, “Y’all come back for the 100th!”