Jerome H. Holland facts for kids

Jerome Heartwell "Brud" Holland (born January 9, 1916 – died January 13, 1985) was an important American leader. He was a university president and a diplomat for the United States.

Holland was the first African American to play football at Cornell University. He was named an All-American in 1937 and 1938. Later, he became the first African American to lead the American Red Cross Board of Governors. The Red Cross even named a special lab after him. He also made history as the first African American to join the board of the New York Stock Exchange in 1972.

Early Life and Education

Jerome Holland was born on January 9, 1916, in Auburn, New York. He was the fourth child of Robert Jr. and Viola Holland.

He went to Auburn High School from 1930 to 1934. There, he was a talented athlete, playing both football and basketball. He earned awards in both sports.

In 1935, Holland started college at the New York College of Agriculture. Soon after, he moved to Cornell University. He studied sociology and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1939. He then received his Master's degree in 1941.

Holland became the first African American to play on Cornell's football team. His amazing skills led him to be chosen as an All-American player in 1937 and 1938. Because of his great college football career, he was honored in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1965.

Leading Delaware State College

In 1953, Jerome Holland met Delaware Governor J. Caleb Boggs. After a few meetings, Governor Boggs convinced the leaders of Delaware State College to choose Holland as their new president. He became the sixth president in the school's 62-year history on July 1, 1953.

When Holland took over, the college was facing big challenges. It had lost its approval as a four-year school in 1949. Some state officials even wanted to close it or turn it into a smaller college for Black students.

Improving the College

Under President Holland's leadership, many great changes happened. He improved how the college's business office worked. He also convinced the Delaware General Assembly to give the college $2.45 million. This money helped build five new buildings, some homes for teachers, and allowed for other updates.

Holland also reorganized the school's leadership and sports programs. He made the academic departments work better. During his time, the college started its first general education program. The library also grew a lot, with more books and more students using it.

President Holland persuaded the Delaware General Assembly to change a law. This change increased the number of people on the college's Board of Trustees from six to 11. It was also during his time that the university became more diverse. They hired their first white teachers and welcomed their first white students.

The biggest achievement of Holland's seven years was when Delaware State College got its approval back in 1957. This was given by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, which checks schools in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Dr. Holland also helped make the connection between the college and its former students much stronger. He created an office just for alumni affairs. Under his leadership, the college also started getting more money from donations.

In March 1960, Dr. Holland announced he was leaving Delaware State College. He accepted a new job as president of Hampton Institute, which is now Hampton University.

Dr. Jerome Holland memorial statue, president of Delaware State College from 1953 to 1960.

In 2018, Delaware State University honored Dr. Jerome H. Holland by putting up a memorial statue. It stands at the front of the campus near the main entrance. The statue was created by artist Brad Vanneman.

Leading Hampton Institute

Dr. Holland became the ninth president of Hampton Institute in 1960. He led the school for 10 years, until 1970.

During his time as president, Hampton Institute grew a lot. Twelve new buildings were constructed, costing about $19 million. Donations from former students went up by a huge 643 percent! The school's yearly budget increased by 300 percent. The number of teachers grew by 66 percent, and their average salaries doubled.

After Academia and Later Life

After leaving Hampton Institute, Dr. Holland became an ambassador for the United States to Sweden. He served in this role for two years, from 1970 to 1972. At first, some people in Sweden protested his appointment. The Swedish government later apologized for any unfair treatment.

Holland was the first African American to join the board of the New York Stock Exchange. He also served on the boards of many other large companies. These included AT&T, General Foods, and Union Carbide.

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter appointed Holland to lead the Red Cross Board of Governors. He was the first African American to hold this important position. He continued in this role until he passed away. In 1987, the Red Cross renamed its research lab in his honor.

Jerome Holland died in New York City on January 13, 1985. After his death, in April 1985, he was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is one of the highest awards a civilian can receive in the United States.

Family Life

Jerome Holland was one of 13 children in his family. His son, Joe Holland, also played football for Cornell University. Joe was chosen as a third-team All-American running back in 1978. He was also an Academic All-American that same year, meaning he was excellent in both sports and studies. In 1991, he was inducted into the Academic Hall of Fame. Joe Holland is a lawyer, writer, and business owner. Like his father, he is a member of the Republican Party.