Richard Holmes, Mississippi State's First Black Student, Dies at 82

Podcast: AURN News · Ebony McMorris, Jamie Jackson, Clay Cane

Opublikowano: 2026-10-20

Dr. Richard E. Holmes, the first Black student to enroll at Mississippi State University, died Oct. 16 at age 82. A native of Starkville, Holmes integrated the university in 1965, earned two degrees there and later graduated from Michigan State University's medical school. After spending more than 20 years as an emergency room physician in Birmingham, Alabama, he returned to Mississippi State in 2003 to serve at its student health center. The university honored his legacy by naming its cultural diversity center after him in 1991 and dedicating the Dr. Richard E. Holmes Plaza in August 2026. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed...