The Extraordinary Journey of Belle Gibbons: From Charlottesville to the World

Today, as the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center deepens its commitment to uncovering and preserving African American lineages, Belle’s life reminds us why this work is so urgent—and so worth a visit and worth a visit to the Charlottesville area to learn more.

Born in 1861, Belle Gibbons grew up in the shadow of both immense struggle and extraordinary hope. Her mother, Isabella (who served as one of the first Black Teachers at what became The Jefferson School), was a transformative Charlottesville figure. Isabella was an example of the power of education, and one can imagine that the importance of education was instilled in Belle as evidenced by her time teaching at The Jefferson School, a place in which she was one of the earliest and youngest students.

In 1890, while still a young woman, Belle joined the internationally acclaimed troupe Orpheus McAdoo’s Virginia Jubilee Singers, one of the earliest African American musical ensembles to tour the world. Their mission was not only to perform spirituals but to demonstrate the intellectual, artistic, and cultural brilliance of Black America.

With McAdoo’s troupe, Belle journeyed across the globe—South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia—captivating audiences with a voice shaped in Charlottesville but destined for international acclaim. Reviews of the era describe her presence as radiant, her singing reverent and powerful, and her artistry deeply moving.

After touring the world several times (with periods of time re-connecting in Virginia), Belle decided to settle in Australia. There she built a new life, married, and became Belle F. Newman, a beloved cultural figure whose voice and presence left a lasting mark on the nation’s artistic landscape. Australia embraced her not as a visiting performer but as a national treasure—one whose heritage lay in Charlottesville soil but whose influence reached across oceans.

Belle lived out her days there, celebrated for her musical contributions and for the grace with which she navigated life far from home. Her story, preserved only in scattered historical traces, is a testament to the global reach of African American culture in the late nineteenth century.

Belle Gibbons represents more than a single life. She is a bridge—linking:

enslaved ancestors to generations of schoolchildren;
local history to global movement,
the Jefferson School to the world stage.

Yet her story, like so many buried within African American history, has long remained incomplete. It is through the meticulous, community-based research efforts at JSAAHC that these narratives come to light.

Currently, the Heritage Center has Belle in the permanent exhibit, pictured in the graduation photo from 1867 when she was about six. They also have a reference to her in the lyrics of the school song from around 1880. They also have a great deal of info about her mother, Isabella Gibbons.

The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center works to restore voices, honor families, teach future generations, and recognize that Charlottesville’s Black history has always been deeply intertwined with the wider world. Visit the JSAAHC to learn about Belle and more of Charlottesville’s Black Historical figures.

233 4th St NW, Charlottesville, VA 22903
Hours:
Tuesday – Friday 1.00 pm – 6.00 pm
Saturday 10 am – 1 pm
Closed Monday & Sunday