There is an incredibly rich history in Jacksonville, Florida when it comes to the topics of community, humanitarianism, and activism. Growth and development came from within the heart of Jacksonville, Florida, in the form of a sunny dispositioned, always sharply dressed Gertrude Hoffman Peele. Perched atop the stiletto heels that were her calling card, the high-heeled humanitarian clicked her way up the streets and hallowed hallways of Jacksonville for decades, determined to take the High Road and serve her community at every opportunity. At an early age, Gertrude was a professional model and the way she carried herself was evident to all she encountered. Her voice rang out with reason and understanding with thousands of people nationwide. Gertrude’s was one such recognizable voice, one of the most notable in the city’s greatest times of growth, like a songbird’s tune carrying both strength and hope in every note.
Gertrude Hoffman Peele was born in 1929 in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her father was recruited by the Black Baseball League in Jacksonville, Florida. He moved his family to Jacksonville, Florida when she was still a baby.
Academic institutions are not the only places where one might receive some of the greatest lessons and skills of one’s lifetime. One of the most important and earliest connections for Gertrude started when she was only 4 years old. She shaped her core belief system, inspired by her Sunday School Superintendent, Dr. Abraham Lincoln Lewis, and Sunday School teacher, Dr. Mary McCloud Bethune. Dr. Bethune’s encouragement and support of the children in their community are what truly spoke to the young girl’s heart and sparked a flame that would continue to burn long after her days on earth.
There is an obvious and direct correlation between Dr. Bethune’s influence on Gertrude Peele and the projects and goals she set for herself early in her career and calling. She focused first on girls in the community roughly between 3rd and 5th grade age, and primarily the more at-risk or underprivileged children. Gertrude wanted to find a way to heal, strengthen, educate and give valuable resources to those youth in our community.
”She was such a believer in youth generally and particularly working with young girls.”, said Sandy Cook in an interview with the Times-Union. A board member at the Reed Educational Center where Gertrude dedicated years to the enrichment programs, Sandy continued, “You can reach them and make them strong, and they can overcome almost anything.”
Gertrude held in high esteem as a National Board Member for the National Council of Negro Women, Florida State Convener NCNW, founder of the local chapter of the NCNW. She worked as a copy editor for the Times-Union, in a regular section called “News For and About the Colored People.” Gertrude had her finger on the pulse of the changing needs of both the Nation and Jacksonville. Her service to all people was beginning to be truly acknowledged.
With her retirement from the newspaper in 1960, Gertrude dug even deeper into her service to her community. She was the National President of Women in Community Service and founded the Child Watch Partnership of Jacksonville. It did not stop there, as she served on the boards for the Mayor’s Commission on Youth and Children Service, and the Girls Club of Jacksonville served as a Guardian ad Litem for many years, and served as the President of the Community Relations of Jacksonville Job Corps. She served in Women in Community Service, OneJax, and The Community Foundation. Gertrude was often found for the better part of 7 years at the Reed Educational Center, working with 9 to 12-year-old girls.
Mrs. Peele’s Magnum Opus: The Center of Achievement, Inc. Gertrude Peele also received a multitude of awards and accolades for her life of service. Including The Points of Light Foundation Award in 2000 by former President George H.W. Bush, followed soon thereafter by the Florida Governor’s Point of Light Award of 2004. She received the Frito-Lay Black Women Who Make It Happen Award in 1987, and the Eve Awards Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990.
On July 31, 2011, Gertrude Hoffman Peele passed away. When Gertrude H. Peele’s name is brought up in conversation anywhere in Duval County, those who knew her or are aware of her legacy, have eyes that light up with respect and recognition, a soft smile often on their lips. Perhaps Jacksonville has that same kind of soft spot in its heart for her as she did for all of its children. While there will never be anyone quite like Gertrude, her legacy and standards for excellence in advocacy for all people in the community have been adopted by thousands and continue to inspire.
