Posted 12:30 am Monday, February 06, 2012
Baseball Legend’s Wife Pays Visit To Texas College
By JACQUE HILBURN-SIMMONS
Staff Writer
Texas College has plenty to brag about these days — motivated students, positive goals and loyal alumni.
Staff Writer
Texas College has plenty to brag about these days — motivated students, positive goals and loyal alumni.
One of the college's most talked about alumna, Billye Suber Aaron, married to baseball great Hank Aaron, returned to her alma mater last week to urge current students to dream big and go for it.
Most of her public remarks centered on what it was like to be friends with Martin and Coretta King and the raw agony of seeing a family and a nation impacted by violence.
Most of her public remarks centered on what it was like to be friends with Martin and Coretta King and the raw agony of seeing a family and a nation impacted by violence.
But the rest of her story, the journey of a young woman who left East Texas in search of something more — and achieved it — seems to illustrate the purpose behind the month long observation.
Texas College Trustee Bishop Henry M. Williamson Sr. said Mrs. Aaron's values made her the perfect speaker for the occasion.
“She represents the core values of Texas College,” he said. “She never forgot her roots, … She never forgot Texas College.”
Texas College Trustee Bishop Henry M. Williamson Sr. said Mrs. Aaron's values made her the perfect speaker for the occasion.
“She represents the core values of Texas College,” he said. “She never forgot her roots, … She never forgot Texas College.”
Mrs. Aaron said she has fond memories of her old school and the educators who made sure she was properly prepared for life.
In her presentation to students, she did not share an abundance of details about her private life.
But her speaker profile reveals details of her journey from school girl to nationally celebrated supporter of education.
In her presentation to students, she did not share an abundance of details about her private life.
But her speaker profile reveals details of her journey from school girl to nationally celebrated supporter of education.
Mrs. Aaron hails from Anderson County, completing most of her schooling in Neches before coming to Tyler to attend Texas College.
By the summer of 1958, she was finishing a Bachelors of Arts degree from the school when opportunity knocked.
She was offered a fellowship opportunity to study English and reading at Atlanta University: free tuition, free room and board and a small monthly stipend.
By the summer of 1958, she was finishing a Bachelors of Arts degree from the school when opportunity knocked.
She was offered a fellowship opportunity to study English and reading at Atlanta University: free tuition, free room and board and a small monthly stipend.
“Given my finances, needless to say, it was a deal I couldn’t refuse,” she said.
Two years later, she graduated from the university with her Master’s degree.
She took post graduate courses at the University of California, Berkeley before accepting teaching appointments in Atlanta public schools and then Spelman, Morehouse, South Carolina State and Morris Brown colleges.
Along the way, she married her first husband, the Rev. Dr. Samuel W. Williams, a distinguished civil rights leader who also served as a professor of religion and philosophy at Morehouse, records show.
It was while she was working at Morris Brown that Mrs. Aaron had an opportunity to appear on television, on WEB-TV’s “Today in Georgia” show.
The year was 1968, two years before she became a widow.
“She was the first African American to host a daily hour long talk show,” Bishop Williamson said.
There was no shortage of notable guests to interview: Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, Jane Fonda and Pearl Bailey, Hubert Humphrey, Willie Mays, Ernie Banks, Hubert Humphrey and, of course, “Hammerin’” Hank Aaron, whom she married in 1973.
Mrs. Aaron moved with her new husband to Milwaukee, Wis.
And while he played baseball with the Milwaukee Brewers, Mrs. Aaron worked to host and co-produce her own half-hour weekly television show, “Billye.”
But she never forgot the roles that education and hard work played in her success.
To ensure other young people received similar opportunities, she went to work for the United Negro College Fund, co-hosting the televised Atlanta Lou Rawls Parade of Stars Telethon.
She traveled for the organization to help out with fundraising and became the second woman in the organization to rise to the vice president for the southern region.
Mrs. Aaron and Mayor Andrew Young co-founded the Mayor’s Masked Ball, which continues after 28 years and remain the College Fund’s most lucrative fundraiser.
A special scholarship created in her honor — the Billye Suber Aaron UNCF Legacy Scholarship — acknowledges her efforts.
She retired in 1994, but her work supporting young and education continued.
The Aarons created the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation, which provides grants to children ages 9 to 12.
And to date, the foundation has awarded more than 800 grants to youngsters in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Milwaukee and Mobile, Ala.
Through their foundation, the couple provided endowed scholarships in excess of $1 million to nine colleges and universities, including Mrs. Aaron’s beloved Texas College.
Major League Baseball and the Boys and Girls Club partnered with the foundation in 2007 to create the “44 Forever” program, providing grants to qualified high school students so they could chase their own dreams.
Back at Texas College last week, Delta Sigma Theta members honored their old friend with a special gift: a wooden school paddle.
After hugs and handshakes from grateful supporters, Mrs. Aaron boarded a golf cart with a few friends and settled in for a tour of her old stomping grounds.
“It’s a delight to be back at Texas College,” she said. “If you hadn’t invited me, I’d have probably have come anyway.”
Two years later, she graduated from the university with her Master’s degree.
She took post graduate courses at the University of California, Berkeley before accepting teaching appointments in Atlanta public schools and then Spelman, Morehouse, South Carolina State and Morris Brown colleges.
Along the way, she married her first husband, the Rev. Dr. Samuel W. Williams, a distinguished civil rights leader who also served as a professor of religion and philosophy at Morehouse, records show.
It was while she was working at Morris Brown that Mrs. Aaron had an opportunity to appear on television, on WEB-TV’s “Today in Georgia” show.
The year was 1968, two years before she became a widow.
“She was the first African American to host a daily hour long talk show,” Bishop Williamson said.
There was no shortage of notable guests to interview: Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, Jane Fonda and Pearl Bailey, Hubert Humphrey, Willie Mays, Ernie Banks, Hubert Humphrey and, of course, “Hammerin’” Hank Aaron, whom she married in 1973.
Mrs. Aaron moved with her new husband to Milwaukee, Wis.
And while he played baseball with the Milwaukee Brewers, Mrs. Aaron worked to host and co-produce her own half-hour weekly television show, “Billye.”
But she never forgot the roles that education and hard work played in her success.
To ensure other young people received similar opportunities, she went to work for the United Negro College Fund, co-hosting the televised Atlanta Lou Rawls Parade of Stars Telethon.
She traveled for the organization to help out with fundraising and became the second woman in the organization to rise to the vice president for the southern region.
Mrs. Aaron and Mayor Andrew Young co-founded the Mayor’s Masked Ball, which continues after 28 years and remain the College Fund’s most lucrative fundraiser.
A special scholarship created in her honor — the Billye Suber Aaron UNCF Legacy Scholarship — acknowledges her efforts.
She retired in 1994, but her work supporting young and education continued.
The Aarons created the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation, which provides grants to children ages 9 to 12.
And to date, the foundation has awarded more than 800 grants to youngsters in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Milwaukee and Mobile, Ala.
Through their foundation, the couple provided endowed scholarships in excess of $1 million to nine colleges and universities, including Mrs. Aaron’s beloved Texas College.
Major League Baseball and the Boys and Girls Club partnered with the foundation in 2007 to create the “44 Forever” program, providing grants to qualified high school students so they could chase their own dreams.
Back at Texas College last week, Delta Sigma Theta members honored their old friend with a special gift: a wooden school paddle.
After hugs and handshakes from grateful supporters, Mrs. Aaron boarded a golf cart with a few friends and settled in for a tour of her old stomping grounds.
“It’s a delight to be back at Texas College,” she said. “If you hadn’t invited me, I’d have probably have come anyway.”
