George Washington Gayles (June 29, 1844 – March 5, 1924) was an American Baptist minister and state legislator in Mississippi.

He was a candidate for the United States House of Representatives in 1892, but received only 6% of the vote due to the voter suppression laws of that period.

As a child, he was taught to read by Elizabeth Powell, who was employed to teach the daughters of Nancy Barrow.

[2] Gayles sought a career in the ministry, and on November 21, 1867 he was ordained at Mount Horeb Baptist church in Greenville, Mississippi.

[5] Gayles also had a successful political career after the war, initially as an appointed civil servant, and from 1872 until 1887 as an elected official.

In the Senate, he represented the ninth district, including Bolivar, Coahoma, and Sunflower counties.

He was also chairman of the Third district Republican Convention in 1886 in Mississippi consisting of Bolivar, Coahoma, Issaquena, Leflore, Sunflower, Sharkey, Tunica, Quitman, Washington, and Warren counties.

Gayles played a prominent role in the National Baptist convention in St. Louis in August 1886.

[18] He was also elected as a delegate from Mississippi to the international convention of Colored Baptists to be held in London, England.