Tempe Elementary School District Educator’s Inspiring Legacy Endures

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Tempe Elementary School District (TESD) has announced the renaming of Gilliland Middle School to honor the late Geneva Epps Mosely, marking a significant tribute to the district’s first African American educator.

Mosely dedicated 29 years of her life to teaching within TESD, leaving behind a legacy marked by perseverance and commitment to education. She passed away in January, but her influence remains deeply felt in the community.

During her tenure, Mosely taught at Franklin Elementary for 11 years and spent 18 years at the institution now named after her. The decision to rename the school was initiated upon discovering that the previous name had ties to the Ku Klux Klan, prompting a deeper understanding of the need for a name reflective of inclusive values.

The impact of Geneva Epps Mosely extended beyond school walls. Family members reflected on her life, detailing the numerous challenges she faced, including segregation. Her daughter, Gwendolyn Holland, recounted how Mosely and her peers had to endure lengthy commutes to attend school amidst racial barriers.

“She worked in the cotton fields picking cotton,” Gwendolyn Holland shared. “The Black students could not attend school with the white students, so she and her classmates took an hour and a half bus ride from Chandler into Phoenix, then walked to Carter High School.”

Pierre Mosely, her youngest son, emphasized his mother’s resilience despite adversity. “She always told the students that nobody owes you anything,” he recalled, capturing one of her key life lessons.

Despite the hurdles, Mosely excelled academically, graduating top of her class in high school, and later obtaining both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Arizona State University. Her daughter, Evelyn Plantillas, highlighted her determination to pave her own way, stating, “She made the best of every situation she was placed in.”

Mosely’s dedication to her students was exemplified by a memorable trip to Disneyland, where she organized transportation for her class, ensuring an experience many might not have had otherwise. “To me, I don’t know if a lot of those kids would have gotten to Disneyland if it wasn’t for her,” Pierre Mosely said.

Her grandson, Daimeon Mosley, expressed pride in his grandmother’s legacy, noting that he only fully appreciated her accomplishments as he grew older. “I love my grandmother. I miss her so much already,” he said, revealing the profound personal loss felt by the family.

Beyond her teaching career, Mosely continued to inspire by working as a substitute teacher until the age of 80. A celebration of Geneva Epps Mosely’s life is scheduled for Friday, January 16, at First Institutional Baptist Church on E. Jefferson Street at 11 a.m.