Deacon Bill Hill took the crowd at Thursday’s CBL breakfast meeting through a fascinating and important time in Nashville’s history as he shared the story of the black Catholic schools in the city.

Describing the work of St. Katharine Drexel, the 2nd American-born saint and founder of Immaculate Mother School and St. Vincent de Paul School here in the early third of the 20th century, Deacon Hill showcased the impact of these schools, both on the communities they served and the broader Nashville community. “My mother was a Missionary Baptist, and we spent our Sundays – virtually all day on those Sundays – in and at church. But she looked at my siblings and me and decided that we would be better educated at a Catholic school, and St. Vincent is where I went,” he said. “It wasn’t long before I decided to become a Catholic myself, and even though my mother so certain about my choice, there was no question that my Catholic education made the difference.” Deacon Hill went on to Father Ryan after a year in public school, graduating in 1967. He excelled in the classroom, played football and basketball and went on to become a lawyer. And he said it was all because his mother wanted to give her children a chance at a better life, even taking a second job in order to afford the tuition.

He recounted the impact of teachers like Fr. Bill Fleming at Father Ryan and leaders in the black community, like Dr. Gadson Tarleton, a radiologist in town, who not only served the community as a physician, but also as its voice. Deacon Hill recounted Dr. Tarleton meeting with Bishop Adrian and confronting him with the simple question of whether desegregation was an issue of faith and morals. “It took an outreach to the Apostolic Delegate, but ultimately the Bishop and the diocese agreed with Dr. Tarleton. He protested in the right way and advanced civil rights in Nashville as a result,” Hill concluded.

The Deacon also introduced the CBL audience to the St. Katharine Drexel Scholarship, created by him and his classmates from Father Ryan, Harry Guess and Paul Rohling. The scholarship is already close to $135,000 in gifts and pledges, and when in place, it will provide important support for African Americans seeking an education at Father Ryan.

“Just as my mother expressed, schools like St. Vincent and Immaculate Mother and Father Ryan made such a difference in the lives of so many individuals, and we want that same opportunity to be available to another generation of students.”