Share this story


 | Courtesy of Alyssa Weisberg

Living Legends Return to John Carroll Catholic

In honor of Black History Month at John Carroll Catholic (JCCHS), the JCCHS Heritage Panel, in conjunction with the Alumni Office, hosted a special assembly titled, “News through the Decades.” Students, acting as national and local reporters, led the Cavalier student body through a series of news reports, beginning in the 1950s with the national story of the murder of Emmet Till and a local perspective regarding the segregated school system in Birmingham. The reports continued throughout the decades with top stories in history and culture up to the present.

One of the highlights of the assembly was the presence of the first four students to integrate John Carroll in 1964, only two months following the passing of the Civil Rights Act. Madeliene Humphrey Dobbins and Robert Smith entered as juniors, and Diane Tucker Murphy and Frederick Tyson joined the sophomore class.

Archbishop Thomas Toolen made the announcement, following the passage of the Civil Rights Act, that all Catholic schools in the Diocese of Birmingham would be integrated, making John Carroll the first school, public or private, in Jefferson County to integrate.

Dobbins, representing the four pioneers, spoke to the student body about her experiences of coming to John Carroll. She recalled that “they were a little afraid but also a little excited.” The four students built friendships that have endured even to this day. She ended her time with the students at the assembly by saying, “Even with all the challenges I endured, given the opportunity to attend Carroll, I would do it again. My time at Carroll enhanced my fortitude, broadened my life experiences and prepared me for college."

After graduating from John Carroll, Dobbins and Smith attended Tuskegee University while Murphy went to Birmingham-Southern College (BSC).

Dobbins also earned her master degree at Howard University and a law degree from Catholic University. Retired from her work as a lawyer and regional planner in Washington D.C., she currently resides in Raleigh, NC.

Tyson served on a submarine in the Navy and then spent 27 years as a locomotive engineer. For the last 20 years he has been a counselor, working with families associated with addiction. He has also spent time with the Alabama Department of Corrections, working with inmates in rehabilitation and recovery.

Smith was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army and became a part of the active reserves after Vietnam. He earned the rank of captain in the reserves and later worked for Alabama Power Company, becoming the first black land agent for the company. After earning an MBA from Samford, he worked in engineering with South Central Bell. He now owns a real estate company in Birmingham, PACE Properties, LLC.

Murphy became a flight attendant after college at BSC. She later became a senior account executive with AT&T for 25 years.

Another speaker that resonated with the students was 1987 graduate John Eppenger. His message, “Get to know those who are different. Listen to their stories and try to understand their perspective,” truly resonated with the audience.

Thanks to the John Carroll Heritage Panel students, their faculty representative, Ginny McMillan, and Alumni Director Mike Bouton, the Black History Month assembly was an amazing and inspiring success