Mississippi State to Honor First Black Student Dr. Richard Holmes

Mississippi State University is gathering to remember a life that reshaped its campus more than half a century ago. A memorial service is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 10 a.m. in the Cleveland Gallery at The Mill to honor the late Dr. Richard Holmes, who integrated the institution when he enrolled on July 15, 1965. Holmes passed away on Oct. 16 at the age of 82.

Honoring a Legacy at The Mill

The Tuesday service brings together university leadership, community members, and family to reflect on Holmes’ profound impact on Starkville and the broader academic community. Additional tributes include a performance by the university’s Black Voices gospel choir and a special presentation from Holmes’ fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi.

Holmes was a native son of Starkville. He earned an undergraduate degree in liberal arts and a master’s degree in microbiology from Mississippi State. He continued his academic career at Michigan State University, where he earned his medical degree, before serving as an emergency room physician in Birmingham, Alabama.

Mississippi State to Honor First Black Student Dr. Richard Holmes — Photo: yahoo.com

Return to Campus and Lasting Recognition

Decades after breaking the university’s color barrier, Holmes returned to his alma mater in 2003 to join the Longest Student Health Center as a staff physician. During his tenure, he earned an honorary Doctor of Science degree. In 1991, Mississippi State named its cultural diversity center in his honor. Later, Holmes and his wife, Judie, endowed a minority scholarship fund bearing his name. Named the 2006 National Alumnus of the Year, Holmes remained a lifelong Bulldog.

That connection was celebrated most recently in August 2026, when President Keenum led the dedication and ribbon-cutting for the Dr. Richard E. Holmes Plaza, located between the Colvard Student Union and the historic YMCA Building. Keenum described the space at the time of its opening as a place where everyone can find opportunity and belonging, designed specifically for community, conversation, connection, and friendship.