A Celebration of the Life of Dr. Aaron Edd Jackson Henry "Doc", Friday, May 23, 1997, Visitation: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 Noon, Funeral: 12:00 Noon, Pinnacle Building, Coahoma Community College, 3240 Friars Point Road, Clarksdale, MS, Reverend Lindsay Robinson, Pastor, Haven United Methodist Church, Officiating

YL Ce{ebration oftlie Life of
?)~. Aa.~on dd 'Jackson J-len~lf
'' ''L~JOC
Friday, May 23, 1997 Visitation: 9:00a.m. - 12:00 Noon
Funeral: 12:00 Noon
Pinnacle Building Coahoma Community Collegt
3240 FRIARS POINT ROAD CLARKSDALE,MS
REVEREND LINDSAY ROBINSON, PASTOR HAVEN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OFFICIATING

1Jr. 5laron f. Henry
July 2, 1922 - May 19, 1997

\lttl6ute \Co ;4atton "d-le .Nas a ~ttlend to man... "
THE BRIDGE BUILDER
An old man, going a lone highway, Came at the evening, cold and gray, To a chasm, vast and deep and wide, Through which was flowing a sullen tide. The old man crossed in the twilight dimThat sullen stream had no fears for him; But he turned, when he reached the other side, And built a bridge to span the tide.
"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim near, "You are wasting strength in building here. Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way. You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?"
The builder lifted his old gray head, "Good friend, in the path I have come;' he said,
"There followeth after me today A youth whose feet must pass this way. This chasm that has been naught to me To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be. He, too, must cross in the twilight dim; Good friend, I am building the bridge for him.'
Will Allen Dromgoole
"S[eep on, 6efovet s[eep, and tak.f, tfiy rest.

rrlie Order OfService
Mr. Bennie Stone Gooden, Sr.,
Master Of Ceremonies
Prelude .......................................................................................................................Musicians
Processional ............................................... "Joy" ............................ (from the Preachers' Wife)"
Anthem ......................................... "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing"......................................Audience
Scripture Readings: Old Testament Scripture ...................................... Reverend Dwight Prowell, Former Pastor Haven United Methodist Church New Testament Scripture .......................................... Reverend Michael T. Williams, Pastor Chapel Hill Baptist Church
Prayer ...................................................................................... Reverend Gotrea Brown, Pastor True Light Baptist Church
Selection .................................................... Clarksdale Public Schools Elementary Mass Choir
Tribute ........................................................................................................Miss Brenda Luckett Treasurer, Coahoma County Branch, NAACP
Solo ..................................................... "I Won't Complain"..........................Mr. Kenneth Lackey
Expressions .................................................... Mr. James Figgs, State Board Member, NAACP Mr. Frank Melton, CEO, WLBT-TV, Jackson, MS Mr. Samuel J. Simmons, President and CEO
National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc., Washington, DC Mr. B. T. Jones, Co-Founder and CEO, MINACT, Inc.
Selection ..........................................................................................................."Take Me Back" Clarksdale Public Schools Elementary Mass Choir
Acknowledgements of Condolences
Obituary .................................................................................................................Read Silently
Solo .......................................................................................................Sister Jane Morganfield Bell Grove Baptist Church
Eulogy ............................................................................... Reverend Lindsay Robinson, Pastor Haven United Methodist Church
Recessional ................................................................................................"If 1Had A Hammer"

Yl (jfimpse Ylt "fJJoc 's" Life
(Obituary)
1.1nto tfiee {ijt I up mine eyes, 0 tfwu tfiat cfwe{fetfi in tfie heavens
tBefwU as tlie eyes ofservants fooK_ unto tfie liancf of tfieir Masters,
aru as tlie eyes ofa maitfen unto tfie fiancf oftier mistressi so our eyes wait upon tlie Lord our (joe unti tfiat lie fiave mercy upon us.
Psa[ms 123:1-2
Aaron Edd Jackson Henry was born July 2, 1922 to the late Joseph and Elizabeth Henry Jackson. He was the youngest of five children. Following the death of his natural parents, he was reared by his maternal uncle and aunt, Edd and Mattie Logan Henry. Aaron attended the Public Schools of Clarksdale and Coahoma County. He served in the United States Army during World War II. He attended Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana where he received his degree in Pharmacy.
On June 11, 1950, he was united in Holy Matrimony to a beautiful, talented young lady, Noelle Celestine Michael, who complemented him until her death in 1993. To this marriage one child was born, Rebecca Elizabeth Henry.
Aaron accepted Christ at an early age. He was an active member of the Haven United Methodist Church. He served as a lay leader and a member of United Methodist Men.
God chooses ordinary people to do extraordinary things, and Aaron accomplished many things in his lifetime. He traveled many different paths and wore many "hats". To his wife, he was "Precious", to his child, he was "daddy", to his grandchildren, he was "granddaddy", and to the community, he was "Doc".
While serving in the United States Army, Aaron was one of the 200 soldiers who lived together, black and white, to prove that we can all live together, thus making it possible for the law to be passed in 1945 that all military living quarters may not be segregated.
Aaron organized the Coahoma County Branch NAACP in 1953 where he served as president since it was organized. He was elected president of the Mississippi State Conference NAACP in 1960 where he served until his retirement in 1993. He was then elected President Emeritus of the Mississippi State Conference NAACP. He held a life membership in the NAACP and was the longest serving member of the National Board of Directors.
Dr. Henry has served on numerous boards and in many organizations, including but not limited to, chairman of the National Caucus and Center for the Black Aged, the Federal Council on Aging, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Southern Regional Council, Mississippi Action for Progress, Inc., (MAP) and the Mississippi Council on Human Relations. He was Chairman of the Board and primary stockholder in Civic Communications Corporation,t he holding company for WLBT- TV 3, Jackson, Mississippi and chairman of the Board of Directors of MIN ACT, Inc. (Job Corp). He was founder of Elderly Housing and Commmunity Development, Inc. and the Aaron E. Henry Community Health Services Center, Inc. in Clarksdale. Some of his other civic and educational involvements include the American Legion, the Elks, the Masonic Order, the Knights and Daughters of Tabor, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

Obituary {con't)
For many years "Doc" owned and operated the Fourth Street Drug Store. It was at the Drug Store that many of his civil and human rights ideas were born and decisions were made. Civil Rights activists who came to Clarksdale and the Delta often looked for the Fourth Street Drug Store and Dr. Henry to seek guidance and advice. This popular Clarksdale landmark was destroyed by fire in 1993.
Dr. Henry's quest for equality and fair treatment took him across the country and to other parts of the world. He was instrumental in influencing the enacting of laws that impacted the course of our nation. Laws and programs such as the Office of Economic Opportunity Act, Head Start and Job Corps were some of his pioneering accomplishments. Being elected by the citizens of District 26 in Coahoma and Bolivar Counties to the Mississippi House of Representatives, where he served from 1979- 1995, moved him into a position to further impact the quality of life for all Mississippians.
He has been recognized through honorary doctorates from Mississippi Baptist Seminary, Tougaloo College, Rust College, Mary Holmes College, Prentiss Institute, Queens College and Boston University. In addition to several Presidential appointments, Aaron has been the recipient of the Distinguished Mississippian Award, the Clarksdale Hall of Fame Award, the Living Legacy Award, the Jammie Whitten Award, and the prestigious Hubert H. Humphrey Award. Aaron received countless other awards, recognitions and accolades from throughout the world.
The resonant voice and works of a great activist and humanitarian has ceased, but the genuineness and the genius of his works will live eternally. His memory is cherished by: a loving and devoted daughter, Rebecca; two grandsons, Aaron JeJuan and DeMon Berthold McClinton; one sister, Thelma Johnson of St. Louis, MO; a special aunt, Eddie Logan of Chicago, IL; four brothers-in-law, Leander Michael (Thelma) of Chester, PA, M. C. Michael of Chicago, IL, Reverend Merrill W. Lindsey, Sr. of Holly Springs, MS and Edward Wrice of Jackson, MS; three sisters-in-law, Iva G. Michael and Beulah Walton of Jackson, MS, and Ann Jackson of Portland, OR; four godchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, colleagues, special friends, R. L. Bolden, Frank Melton, James Figgs, Dr. Jonathan Harris, Louise Bradford, Brenda Luckett, and Jackje Gary all of whom are saddened by his homegoing.
I fiave fougfit agoodfigfit, I fiave finislied my coursei I fiave Kf,pt tfie faitfi: J{encefortfi tfiere is (aicf up for me a crown af rigfiteousness, wfiicfi tfie Lore tfie rigfiteous judge, sfia[{give me at tfiat day: and not to me onfy, 6ut unto a[[ tfiem afso, tfiat fove fiis appearing.
II 'IitTUJtft.y 4:7-8

,4ctl11e ;;:::,a.tl6ea.tzetzs

Honorable Hiram Eastland Mr. James Figgs Dr. Jonathan Harris, M.D.

Mr. Frank Melton Dr. Robert Smith, M.D. Honorable Charles Young

Mr. Homer Applewhite Hon. Judge Fred Banks Mrs. Helen Banks Mr. Kedric Barrett Mrs. Bea Branch Mr. C. C. Bryant Mr. Bernard Buckhaulter Mr. Andrew Carr Hon. Robert Clark Hon. Alvin Chambliss Mr. Ed Cole Mr. Douglas Conner Mrs. Margaret Crigler Mr. Noble Crigler Hon. Danny Cupit Mr. Larry Denman Dr. T. B. Ellis Mr. Jesse Epps Hon. Charles Evers Mrs. Nan Evers Hon. Delma Furniss Dr. George Furr Mr. Bennie S. Gooden Mrs. Addie Green Mr. Donald Green Mr. Norman Harris

Mr. Sylvester Harris Mrs. Esther Harris Hon. Constance Harvey Mr. Wydett Hawkins Hon. Benjamin Hooks -Mrs. Gloria Horton Mrs. Winson H~dson Mr. Ralph Jackson Mr. Derrick Johnson Mr. Pete Johnson Mr. B. T. Jones Mr. Leroy Jones Mr. W. J. Jones Mrs. Minnie Kilpatrick Mr. Michael F. Lindsey Mrs. Lillian Louie Dr. Gilbert Mason Mr. Thomas McClinton, Jr. Hon. Dick Molpus Dr. Claude Montgomery Mr. George Moore Mr. Johnny Newson Mr. Louis O'Neal Mrs. Delores Orey Mrs. Dorothy Partee Hon. Ed Peacock
~loft1etz6ea. tzetzs
United Methodist Women American Legion Auxiliary
Members of NAACP Ladies of Mississippi

Dr. Vera Pigee Mr. Varner Rencher Mr. Nelson Rivers, Ill Hon. Harvey T. Ross Mr. Ronald Ross Hon. Tom Ross Hon. Ed Seals Mr. Earl Shinhoster Mr. Samuel Simmons Mrs. Dorothy Smith Mrs. Elizabeth Smith Mr. Rayvon Smith Mr. Reuben Smith Ms. Loreatha Stacker Rev. James Taylor Dr. Malcolm Taylor Mr. Matt Thomas Hon. Bennie Thompson Hon. Andrew Thompson Hon. Walter Thompson Mrs. Mildred Turner Mr. Joseph Wheaton Armstong Weston Ms . Della Willis Mr. Elijah Wilson United Methodist Men

Elmwood Cemetery Jackson, MS
2-ntzusted. Ana.n?ements.
Westhaven Memorial Funeral Home
Robinson Road -Jackson, Mississippi
~loftJetzs d-leld Bv:
Century Funeral Home
Clarksdale, Mississippi

,ei~t 2tJetzl( Voice flnd Sin~
James Weldon Johnson
Lift every voice and sing. Till earth and heaven ring . Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise as high as the listening skies. Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us, Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us,
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun, Let us march on till victory is won.
Stony the road we trod, Bitter the chastening rod, Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat, Have not our weary feet Come to the place for which our fathers sighed We have come over a way that with tears has been watered, We have come treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered Out from the gloomy past , Till now we stand at last Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, Thou who has brought us thus far on the way; Thou who hast by Thy might led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray, Lest our feet stray from the places, our God where we met Thee; Lest our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee.
Shaqowed beneath Thy hand, May we forever stand, True to our God, True to our native land.
fl cknohJled~ement
Words fall far short of expressing what our hearts feel in gratitude to all who have shown their love, concern and kindness with prayers, visits, calls, cards, flowers and other expressions of thoughtfulness during the passing of our beloved one. But, to each of you, we say "thank you" for you have done so much in so tnany ways to console us during our time of bereavement. We are blessed becau!'e of you. And now...
"May the road rise to meet you, May the wind always be at your back; May the sunshine warm upon your face, May the rain fall soft upon your fields;
And until we meet again May God hold you in the palm of his hand"
(One of Doc's favorite partings)
The family of Aaron E. Henry,.