A celebration honoring the impact and legacy of Grambling State University’s hall of fame baseball coach Wilbert Ellis will be held December 4 from 6 to 8:30 PM at the Lincoln Parish Library’s Ruston Room.
The event, hosted by 64 Parishes magazine and the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH), marks the release of the magazine’s winter 2025 issue, which features Ellis in a profile written by Grambling State’s Dr. Edward Holt.
Holt will moderate a panel discussion with Ellis and several of his longtime friends and colleagues, including former NFL quarterback “The Ruston Rocket” Bert Jones, Pastor Maurice White, and former Grambling Tiger and Major League Baseball player Gary Eave.
Presented by Louisiana National Bank, the evening will include a cocktail hour at 7 PM and refreshments for guests. The event is free and open to the public, though attendees are asked to register in advance.
Ellis, a member of the Grambling Legends Hall of Fame, is celebrated for his decades of service to Grambling State baseball and his commitment to mentoring young athletes. His influence extends beyond the field, with years of community service and youth outreach in north Louisiana.
64 Parishes, published by LEH, is a statewide magazine dedicated to Louisiana history and culture. The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities is a nonprofit organization that provides educational and cultural programming through publications, lectures, exhibitions, and grant-supported initiatives.
More information and a preview of the winter issue are available at leh.org.
