Gerald Talbot facts for kids

Gerald Edgerton Talbot (October 28, 1931 – May 9, 2026) was an important American leader. He worked for civil rights, wrote books, and was a politician from Portland, Maine. He made history as the first Black person to serve in the state legislature of Maine.

Gerald Talbot was also the first president of the Portland, Maine, chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). This group works to ensure equal rights for all people. Later, he led the Maine State Board of Education. In 2020, an elementary school in Portland was renamed the Gerald Edgerton Talbot Community School in his honor.

Gerald Talbot's Early Life

Growing Up in Maine

Gerald Talbot was born in Bangor, Maine, on October 28, 1931. His father, Wilmont Edgerton Talbot, was a head chef. His mother, Arvella Luella (McIntyre) Talbot, was a homemaker and helped organize community events. Gerald was the oldest of five children. His family had lived in Maine for many generations. He could trace his family back to Abraham Talbett, a Black soldier in the Revolutionary War.

He went to Hannibal Hamlin Grammar School, Lagen Street Grammar School, and Bangor High School. He graduated in 1952. While playing football for Bangor High School, he met Anita Cummings, who would later become his wife.

Serving His Country

After high school, Talbot worked with his father at the Bangor House Hotel. Then, he moved to Portland, Maine, where Anita lived. He wanted to serve in the military. He tried to join the Marines but was not accepted. So, he returned to Bangor and joined the United States Army in 1953.

Talbot was stationed at Fort Dix and Fort Devens. He asked twice to be sent to Korea but was sent to Tulle, Greenland, instead. He served there for a full year.

Starting a Family in Portland

After leaving the Army, Gerald and Anita Talbot settled in Portland. Finding a home was often difficult for their family. This experience inspired Talbot to work for fair housing laws throughout his life.

In 1956, Talbot worked at the Community Center in Portland. He had several different jobs during these years. He explained that sometimes employers would hire him, but then let him go when they learned he was Black.

In 1964, Talbot worked at a printing company. In 1966, he started working for the Guy Gannett Publishing Company. He stayed there until he retired in 1991.

Fighting for Fairness

The March for Freedom

Gerald Talbot was one of many people from Maine who attended the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. This march was a powerful event for civil rights. He often spoke about how this experience shaped his goals. He believed people needed to go home and fight for jobs and education.

Leading the NAACP

In 1964, Talbot helped create the Portland chapter of the NAACP. He was chosen as its first president, serving from 1964 to 1966. People saw him as a good choice because he was known for his activism. Soon after, he traveled to Washington, D.C., to represent the new chapter at the NAACP convention.

Making Housing Fair

Talbot played a key role in passing the Maine Fair Housing Bill in 1965. In the early 1960s, many people in Maine faced unfair treatment when trying to find housing. NAACP groups across the state pushed for new laws. With Talbot's leadership, the new Portland branch helped make progress. In 1965, the bill passed, and Governor John Reed signed it into law.

In 1968, Talbot successfully took a landlord to court for unfair housing practices. This was the first case under Maine's new Fair Housing Law. The landlord was fined.

Traveling for Justice

Throughout the 1960s, Talbot traveled across the United States. He helped people register to vote and met with other civil rights leaders. One important trip was to Laurel, Mississippi, in 1965.

In 1968, Governor Ken Curtis appointed Talbot to a state task force on human rights. Talbot also served two more terms as president of the Portland NAACP. He was also a vice president for the New England Regional NAACP.

In 2006, Talbot and co-author H. H. Price published a book called Maine's Visible Black History: The First Chronicle of Its People.

A Voice in Government

Becoming a Legislator

In 1972, Talbot watched a debate in the Maine Legislature about human rights. He heard one lawmaker say that "poor people should struggle." Talbot felt that more people needed to be represented in the Legislature. He decided to run for office just days before the deadline.

On the ballot, Talbot was listed second-to-last among many candidates. Even though his district in Portland had only about 250 Black voters, Talbot won by about 1,700 votes. He became the first Black person ever elected to the Maine legislature.

Working in the Maine House

Talbot also became the first Black person to lead a legislative committee. He chaired the Human Resources Committee for two terms. He was also the first Black speaker pro-tem of the Maine House of Representatives. He served three terms, ending in 1978.

While serving in the Legislature, Talbot also worked five hours each night at Gannett Publishing. He would leave Portland for Augusta early in the morning, return late, and then work his shift before going home to sleep.

Talbot sponsored important laws. He helped pass "An Act to Prohibit the Use of Offensive Names for Geographic Features and Other Places in the State of Maine." This law removed offensive words from place names in the state. Other laws he supported helped migrant workers, protected the rights of Indigenous tribes, ensured fair housing, and made Martin Luther King Jr. Day a state holiday.

Continuing to Serve

After leaving the legislature, Talbot continued his public service. He served on the Maine State Board of Education from 1980 to 1984, leading it during his last year. He was also a member of the New England States Board of Education Commission.

He served on many other boards and committees. These included the Maine Vocational Technical Institute's Board of Trustees, the University of New England's Board of Trustees, and the Maine State Committee on Aging. He also worked with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) on minority affairs. In 1990, Talbot joined the Muskie Board of Visitors at the University of Southern Maine.

His Family and Legacy

Gerald Talbot and Anita Cummings married in 1954. They had four daughters: Sharon Renee Verloo, Rachel Talbot Ross, Regina Phillips, and Robin Talbot.

His daughter, Rachel Talbot Ross, followed in his footsteps. She was elected to the Maine House of Representatives from Portland in 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022. After the 2022 election, Rachel was chosen by her peers to be the Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives. She was the first African-American to hold this important position. In 2024, she was elected to the Maine State Senate. Another daughter, Regina Phillips, is a professor and works with schools. In 2022, Regina was elected to the Portland City Council.

Gerald Talbot passed away on May 9, 2026, at the age of 94.

Honoring a Hero

Preserving History

The Talbot collection resides at the University of Southern Maine's Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine at the Glickman Library in Portland.

Throughout his life, Talbot collected books, posters, photos, and other items. He also kept personal papers and records. These helped document Black history in Maine and across the United States. He often traveled around the state with his collection. He visited schools, community centers, and churches. He also created an annual display at the Maine State House.

In 1995, Talbot gave his collection to the University of Southern Maine. It is now part of the African American Collection at the Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine.

Special Awards

In 1980, Talbot received a regional Jefferson Award for Public Service.

The University of Southern Maine gave Talbot an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters in 1995. They also named an auditorium after him. At that time, it was the only public space in Maine named after a Black person. On September 10, 2019, the university announced the creation of the Talbot Fellowship. This fellowship supports studies on race in Maine.

Talbot received a Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.

In 2021, two days after his 90th birthday, Second Street Park in Bangor was renamed Talbot Park. He was also given the keys to the city.

A School in His Name

The Gerald E. Talbot Community School is in the Riverton neighborhood of Portland, Maine.

In February 2019, the Portland City Council asked the Portland School Board to consider renaming a school after Talbot. On February 5, 2020, the Portland School Board voted to change the name of Riverton Elementary School. It became the Gerald E. Talbot Community School. On August 31, 2020, the school was officially renamed in a special ceremony. Gerald Talbot and his grandson, Demetrius Brown-Phillips, who was a student at the school, helped with the ribbon-cutting.