Anacostia Community Museum Archives

Evans-Tibbs Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
ACMA.06-016
Creators:
Apeda Studio (New York, N.Y.)
Camuzzi, M.
Harris & Ewing
Sommariva, Emilio, Photographer, 1883-1956
Harris, Fred (photographer)
Scurlock Studio (Washington, D.C.)
Dates:
circa 1850-1997
Languages:
Multiple languages
.
Physical Description:
25.54 Linear feet
46 boxes; 3 cabinet drawers
Repository:

Biographical/Historical note

Biographical/Historical note
The Evans-Tibbs collection form part of the family papers acquired from the Evans-Tibbs Collection museum, which closed in 1996, and centers around the life of Lillian Evans Tibbs. The museum was formerly the home of Evans, the first African American woman to sing opera with an organized European company. She was born in Washington, DC to a cultured, well-educated, middle-class family. Her mother was Annie Lillian Evans, a music teacher in the DC public school system, and her father was Wilson Bruce Evans, organizer and first principal of Armstrong Technical High School in Washington, DC. Hiram Revels, the first black U.S. senator, was her great-uncle and two other family members are credited with taking part in John Borwn's raid on Harper's Ferry. She married Howard University music professor, Roy W. Tibbs in 1918. Her stage name, Madame Evanti, is a combination of her last name and her husband's. Evans had one child, Thurlow Tibbs Sr., and two grandchildren, Diane Elizabeth and Thurlow Evans Tibbs. Thurlow Jr., operated the Evans-Tibbs Collection museum until 1996, a year before his death.

Administration

Author
Jennifer Morris
Processing Information
The processing of the Evans-Tibbs Collection and creation of the finding aid are under revision. The photographs in the collection are available by appointment.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access note
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Preferred Citation
Evans-Tibbs collection, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution, gift of the Estate of Thurlow E. Tibbs, Jr.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
African American families Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Washington (D.C.) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photograph albums Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sheet music Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Letters (correspondence) Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Oberlin (Ohio) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Tibbs, Thurlow Evans, Jr., (1952-1997) Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Evanti, Lillian, Mme. (Lillian Evans Tibbs), 1890-1967 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Anderson, Marian, 1897-1993 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Murray, Daniel Alexander Payne, 1852-1925 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Jones, Lois Mailou, 1905-1998 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Moton, Robert Russa, 1867-1940 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Anacostia Community Museum Archives
1901 Fort Place, SE
Washington, D.C. 20020
Business Number: Phone: 202-633-4853
ACMArchives@si.edu