In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the end of racial segregation in schools in the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education, originating from Kansas. In various locations, including Hickman County, Tennessee, both white and Black community members expressed support for the continued operation of the O. H. Bernard School, which served African American students. About two years after the Court's decision, a fire destroyed the school. The school board later rebuilt it, and O. H. Bernard School continued to operate until 1969, even as desegregation began in Hickman County.

In 1966, the graduating class of 21 students was the largest in the school's history. Most graduates went on to achieve successful careers; several attended college, while others joined the military. The teachers at the school were viewed as caring and dedicated to the students' upward mobility. When the school ultimately closed, local residents approached the school board in an effort to keep it open for both white and Black students, but the school did not reopen.

Throughout its history, several notable individuals were associated with the school. O. H. Bernard himself, a white educator, served as the State of Tennessee's "agent for Negro schools" from 1920 to 1929, playing a crucial role in the construction, staffing, and equipping of many of these schools.

Major "Prof" Lee Dabney was a legendary principal and a long-time coach of the O. H. Bernard Hawks and Hawkettes basketball teams from 1925 to 1955. He guided several talented basketball players, including James "Screwdriver" Webster, who played from the late 1940s into the early '50s. He earned his nickname for his remarkable twisting and spinning maneuvers on the basketball court.

Alvia Carter, who graduated in 1968, led all boys in scoring in Tennessee, averaging an impressive 38 points per game and scoring 58 points in one game. His wife, Janette Carter, also made her mark as a player for the Hawkettes, averaging 32 points per game over her four-year career. She was recognized as a four-time All-State player in Tennessee and earned the title "Small School All-American."

The school's closure was a significant blow to the community, resulting in several Black-owned businesses along Columbia Avenue shutting down. Consequently, the Black population in the county began to diminish. Despite the school system operating a kindergarten and Head Start program at the facility, the county sold the property after a few years, leading to the buildings’ deterioration.

In 2006, efforts to transform the school into a community center began when alumni and other community members purchased the buildings and initiated a restoration process. Their goal was to create a space for banquets, local gatherings, classes, receptions, and other community programs accessible to everyone in the Centerville area. By the beginning of 2025, the Bernard Community Center will serve those functions.