Funeral program of LeRoy Gibbs: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

Digital copy of a funeral program for LeRoy Gibbs. The booklet program consists of eight pages bound with staples inside a cover. The cover has a blue and white cloud-like print. The front has text reading [Heaven's Roll Call... /LeRoy Gibbs] with Gibbs' name inside a scroll design. The first interior page has a photographic portrait of Gibbs in military uniform and reads [Service In Remembrance of the Life and Work of LeRoy Gibbs]. The interior pages include a poem, the order of service, and a three page obituary titled [His Notable Life], with photographs. The obituary includes details of Gibbs World War II military service, his membership at Vernon A.M.E. Church, his many stores and businesses and community work in North Tulsa. The obituary is followed by a message of gratitude from the family, a listing of the pall bearers and flower bearers. At bottom center of the back cover is printed [prepared by / Personally Yours / Princetta Rudd-Newman] with a phone number.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1999
• Created by: Princetta Newman, American, born 1943
• Subject of: Leroy Gibbs, American, 1910 - 1999
• Subject of: Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church, American, founded 1905
• Owned by: Eddie Faye Gates, American, 1934 - 2021
• Type: digital images
• Type: programs
• Type: digital media - born analog
• Medium: digital
• Dimensions: File size (overall): 654.2 MB
• Place collected: Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: African Methodist Episcopal
• Topic: American South
• Topic: American West
• Topic: Communities
• Topic: Families
• Topic: Funeral customs and rites
• Topic: Methodist
• Object number: 2014.117.67
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Eddie Faye Gates, Tulsa OK, author, historian, community activist
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.