class of 68, say they learned lessons for life. discipline, a structured lifestyle. humility. trust. yes. leadership. reporter: st. emma s shaped thousands of african american men just after reconstruction through the civil rights era, but most people haven t heard of it. why do you think people don t know so much about this place? people didn t want this school in this community, you know. yeah. a lot of prejudice and racism was going on. reporter: the land st. emma sits on, known as belmead, has a dark past. st. emma s buildings and that of the corresponding all-girls school, st. francis de sales, were built by enslaved people. and unknown to walker and butler until after they graduated, 130 of those people were buried right here. we re standing on the shoulders of those people. reporter: st. emma s shut its doors 50 years ago, and shortly