by: Huffington Post 
published: 1 December 2013

A peacemaker is how people described Delbert Tibbs. On November 23, 2013, the death penalty abolition movement lost a beloved family member and friend when Delbert, 74, passed away in his home in Chicago.

Delbert Tibbs was many things. He was a sage, a poet, a leader and the nicest person you could ever meet, with an intellect, a spirit and a commitment that inspired all of us. It was an honor to know this peacemaker, and to learn from him.

A man of peace, Delbert was a death row survivor who had experienced a great deal of violence perpetrated against him. A former seminary student, Delbert was traveling around the country and was in Florida in February 1974 when the state police stopped him.

Police questioned him about the rape of Cynthia Nadeau, 16, and the murder of her hitchhiking companion, Terry Millroy, 27, in Fort Myers. According to Nadeau, the offender was 5-foot-6, dark skinned and with a large afro. Meanwhile, Delbert was 6-foot-3, light complexioned and with short-cropped hair. So, Delbert was released.

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