This article was curated by It’s That Part, where we highlight the truth in every fact—curated for deeper insight and critical reflection.
Iconic actress Martha Gibbs will release a memoir that she hopes will encourage anyone who picks it up. The 94-year-old announced in an exclusive interview withPeoplethat her autobiography,It’s Never Too Late, will hit shelveson February 24, 2026, throughAmistad, an imprint under HarperCollins. Per Amistad, the memoir offers an “inspiring personal portrait of triumph and Hollywood.”
After moving to Los Angeles in 1963, Gibbs began her career in the 1970s, landing her first screen role in the 1973 blaxploitation film Sweet Jesus, Preacher Man, playing the character Beverly Solomon, according to The History Makers.
Two years later, she was cast as Florence in the iconic TV show The Jeffersons. Her character was a housemaid for George and Louise Jefferson, a successful Black couple living in New York City. She’s also known for her roles in 227, Grey’s Anatomy, Black-ish, The Meteor Man, Madea’s Witness Protection, and more.
Although Gibbs found success, she revealed in a 2006 Television Academy Foundation interview that even after securing her role in The Jeffersons, she continued to work as a reservations agent for United Airlines during the first two seasons. In It’s Never Too Late, she shared her journey, which was uneasy from childhood as “she was always in search of safety in love.”
Marla Gibbs is using her memoir to inspire future generations
Gibbs helped break barriers for Black actors charting their paths behind her in Hollywood. In her memoir, she speaks about fighting for fair pay and creative freedom in Hollywood.
“It is an honor that Amistad, one of the most esteemed African American imprints in publishing, has chosen my life story to be among their selective canon of powerful narratives,” Gibbs told People. “My hope is that my memoir will serve as an inspiration to those that continue to show me love and support.”
She continued, “I believe no matter the challenges one faces, it is never too late to turn your life around or make a difference,” the actress continued. “I am grateful and I am ready to reveal the challenges I overcame as a way of service to those who wish to transform their tests into testimonies.”
