Patty Grey

Black History Month offers us the opportunity not only to celebrate achievement, but also to honor resilience in the face of adversity. In this installment of our series, we reflect on the life of 1960 Quaker Valley alumna Patricia Grey, whose commitment to faith and service was met with unjust barriers. After graduating from Quaker Valley High School, she pursued her calling to become a Catholic nun and nurse, applying to the Sisters of St. Joseph in Baden, Pennsylvania where she was denied admission due to discrimination.

The Sisters of Mercy in Pittsburgh eventually accepted her as their first Black woman. She subsequently invited over 200 Black sisters to Carlow College, where, at that first historic meeting, she founded the National Black Sisters Conference (NBSC) to address racism and inclusion in their religious communities and the Catholic Church, worked to educate Black children, and helped change many lives.

After leaving the convent in 1974, she earned a Ph.D. and continued to be recognized for her foundational role in Black Catholic history and the Catholic Church. She remains active, religiously engaged, and still lives in Sewickley.

Daniel B. Matthews Historical Society * Stratton Nash 2026