The extraordinary journey of Dr. Ernest ‘Rip’ Patton, Jr., a dedicated alumnus of Tennessee State University and courageous Freedom Rider, was commemorated in Nashville as the city celebrated the opening of the Dr. Ernest Rip Patton, Jr. North Nashville Transit Center. This $16.9 million project is a testament to Patton’s unwavering commitment to justice and equality. He passed away in 2021.
The Sept. 17, 2024, ceremony drew a crowd of family members, city officials, and community leaders who gathered to honor Patton’s legacy.
Dr. Learotha Williams Jr., an African American and public history professor at TSU, shared the significance of the new center. “We are celebrating our TSU alum who figured prominently in the Civil Rights Movement and in the Freedom Rides,” Williams said. “This is a long overdue celebration because these students, our 14 students (Freedom Riders), whose names will be represented here, were expelled from school as a result of their participation in the Freedom Rides. It’s important that TSU is represented in this space.”
Keeping Patton’s Legacy Alive
Born in Nashville in 1940, Dr. Patton experienced the harsh realities of segregation during his formative years. He was a passionate musician and leader and served as the drum major in TSU’s marching band.
At the event, Michael Patton, son of Dr. Patton, shared heartfelt words about his father’s legacy. “The very same industry that my father and a handful of unfathomably courageous souls fought against now honors the Freedom Riders’ historic struggle with the Transit Center bearing the name of Dr. Ernest Rip Patton, Jr,” Patton said. “WeGo (Public Transit) has turned an important page in history, bringing things full circle, recognizing the power, the value that pure courage in its raw form, spread throughout a united people, has to change the very hearts and minds of a nation.
The newly established transit center, positioned along Clarksville Pike, is essential for connectivity for North Nashville residents, providing easier access to schools, medical centers, and employment opportunities.
“This Freedom Rider has taken his last ride, but his story now lives here forever at the intersection of independence and opportunity in North Nashville,” said Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell.
