Celebrating Black History Month

Mission Commission Profile of the Week

The material here is compiled mainly from Centraljersey.com news articles and a few other sources noted in the references [1-6].

Philip N. Gumbs grew up in Cliffwood, New Jersey. After graduation from high school, he joined the US Army Air Corps during World War II. After the war, he studied at Rutgers University and then obtained his law degree from Lincoln University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Gumbs started his career as a probation officer and a law partner. He later entered public service by first joining the Matawan Board of Education to improve public education. He went on to hold many other

public offices including as a member of the township council from 1972-to 1975. He served as the first Black Mayor of Matawan (now Aberdeen) Township from 1974-1975. He was also elected and served as the first African American to the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders from 1974. He was later chosen as Director of the Board from 1975-1976 when he was appointed as a Worker’s Compensation Court Judge for 25 years.

He was a lifelong active member of St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in Cliffwood, where his service included superintendent of the Sunday school and chairman of the board of trustees.

In his honor, Aberdeen Township on October 16, 2021, renamed Midland Park on Marjorie Street in the Cliffwood as Philip N. Gumbs Park.

References:

[1] Tyler Brown (2021, October 15), Aberdeen Township officials to rename Midland Park in honor of Phillip Gumbs, centraljersey.com https://centraljersey.com/2021/10/15/aberdeen-township-officials-to-rename-midland-park-in-honor-of-phillip-gumbs/

[2] Alison Granito (2002, January 2), Aberdeen’s 1st black mayor reflects on township Former freeholder director steps down after 25 years on the bench, centraljersey.com
https://archive.centraljersey.com/2002/01/02/aberdeens-1st-black-mayor-reflects-on-township-former-freeholder-director-steps-down-after-25-years-on-the-bench/

[3] “IN HONOR OF JUDGE PHILIP N. GUMBS HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR. OF NEW JERSEY IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Tuesday, November 1, 2005” (PDF).
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRECB-2005-pt18/pdf/CRECB-2005-pt18-Pg24419.pdf

[4] Philip N. Gumbs, EverydayWiki https://en.everybodywiki.com/Philip_N._Gumbs

[5] Judge Philip N Gumbs, Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58221988/philip-n-gumbs

[6] List of Monmouth County Board of County Commissioner Directors, Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Monmouth_County_Board_of_County_Commissioner_Directors#Directors_of_the_Board_of_Chosen_Freeholders_(1798%E2%80%93present)