Fr. Alan Tarlton, 80, is the Abbey\u2019s only African American monk. He was not always alone.<\/p>\n
When Tarlton was ordained in 1955, there were four other African Americans priests, but, eventually, the abbey sent them off to do missionary work in the Bahamas, Kentucky and Indianapolis \u2014 leaving Tarlton to work as a prep-school English teacher and FR in Benet Hall alone, as the University\u2019s sole African American educator for years.
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\nAlone on campus in race, Tarlton says he tried to conform in the early years.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor a long time I think I tried to be as white as I possibly could,\u201d Tarlton said. \u201cI would never say I was black.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we had watermelon in the dining room I didn\u2019t eat it. I loved watermelon, but I didn\u2019t want to be identi\ufb01ed with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
More Here: http:\/\/www.users.csbsju.edu\/record\/2008\/02\/black-students-fight-racial-isolation\/#more-966<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Fr. Alan Tarlton, 80, is the Abbey\u2019s only African American monk. He was not always alone. When Tarlton was ordained in 1955, there were four other African Americans priests, but, eventually, the abbey sent them off to do missionary work … Continue reading