 He was one of the 7.7 percent of the African American population older than age 25 that had a high school diploma in 1940.Though many African Americans chose to attend historically Black colleges and universities in the South, Bibbs opted to remain in his own community and attend what was then Indiana State Teachers College, now known as Indiana State University.In 1937, Bibbs became one of the 1.3 percent of African Americans who had a four-year college degree by 1940.