Lori Meadows
On January 6, 1961, Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter became the first two Black students to attend the University of Georgia (UGA), ending 160 years of segregation at the school. The two students, who aspired to become a doctor and a journalist, respectively, had previously been denied admission to UGA in 1959 due to their race. Despite facing significant resistance and racial discrimination, Holmes and Hunter persevered and inspired others, like Mary Frances Early, to follow in their footsteps. Early became the first Black graduate of UGA in 1962. The integration of UGA marked a pivotal step towards desegregating colleges and universities in the Deep South, challenging discriminatory laws and fostering a more inclusive educational environment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of admission | 6 January 1961 |
| Names of students | Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter |
| Judge who ordered their admission | William Bootle |
| Date of first classes | 11 January 1961 |
| Date of suspension | 11 January 1961 |
| Date of readmission | 16 January 1961 |
| First Black graduate | Mary Frances Early |
| Year of graduation of first Black students | 1963 |
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What You'll Learn
- Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter were the first two Black students at UGA
- A mob formed outside Hunter's dorm on their third night
- Dean Williams suspended the two students for their safety
- State officials reversed the law that prohibited funding for integrated schools
- Mary Frances Early was the first Black graduate of UGA
Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter were the first two Black students at UGA
Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter were the first two Black students to attend the University of Georgia (UGA). On January 6, 1961, a federal district court ordered the university to admit Holmes and Hunter, putting an end to 160 or 176 years of segregation at the school.
Holmes and Hunter had applied to UGA for the fall of 1959 but were denied admission on the basis of their race. They were initially greeted by mobs of people yelling racial slurs as they walked through the all-white school. On January 11, 1961, five days after enrolling, a crowd of over 1,000 people, including UGA students, gathered outside of Hunter's dorm, throwing firecrackers, bricks, and bottles, and shouting racial insults. The two students were suspended and sent home for their safety but were readmitted on January 16 following a court order.
Hamilton Holmes went on to become the first African American student admitted to the Emory University School of Medicine. He later became a professor of orthopedics and associate dean at Emory, as well as the medical director and head of orthopedic surgery at Grady Memorial Hospital. Charlayne Hunter-Gault, meanwhile, became a broadcast journalist and author. She gave the commencement address at UGA on June 14, 1988.
The impact of Holmes and Hunter's admission to UGA extended beyond their individual achievements. Other institutions followed UGA's footsteps in the coming years, including Mercer University and Georgia State University. In addition, Mary Frances Early, a fellow Turner High School alumna, was inspired by Holmes and Hunter to transfer from the University of Michigan to UGA to help with integration. In August 1962, she became the first Black student to graduate from the university.
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A mob formed outside Hunter's dorm on their third night
On January 6, 1961, Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter became the first two Black students to be admitted to the University of Georgia (UGA), ending 160 years of segregation at the school. Three days later, on January 9, Holmes and Hunter walked through the all-white school and were met with mobs of people yelling racial slurs.
On their third night—January 11—an angry mob of over 1,000 Athens residents and UGA students formed outside Hunter's dorm in Myers Hall. The rioters threw bricks and bottles at the building and shouted racial insults. This time, the police ended the riot. Later that night, the dean of students, J.A. Williams, pulled Holmes and Hunter aside and told them that he was withdrawing them from the school "in the interest of [their] personal safety and for the safety and welfare of more than 7,000 other students at the University of Georgia."
More than 400 faculty members immediately signed a petition asking for the two students' return to the university. On January 16, following a court order, Holmes and Hunter returned to classes. The university faculty subsequently formed a night patrol to help ensure the peace.
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Dean Williams suspended the two students for their safety
Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter were the first two Black students to attend the University of Georgia (UGA) in 1961, ending 160 to 176 years of segregation at the school. On January 6, 1961, U.S. District Judge William Bootle ordered the University of Georgia to admit Holmes and Hunter, who had previously been denied admission in 1959 due to their race.
Despite initial success, on January 11, 1961, just two days after they registered for classes, a crowd of over 1,000 Athens residents and UGA students gathered outside Hunter's dorm, shouting racial insults and throwing firecrackers, bricks, and bottles. In the interest of Holmes' and Hunter's safety, Dean Williams suspended the two students and sent them home to Atlanta. However, this decision was not made without opposition; over 400 faculty members signed a petition for their return, and on January 16, Judge Bootle ordered their readmission.
The actions of Holmes and Hunter, along with fellow Black student Mary Frances Early, who became the first Black graduate of UGA in 1962, were instrumental in challenging segregation laws in Georgia and paving the way for a more inclusive educational system. Their courage and determination to pursue their dreams despite adversity inspired others to follow in their footsteps, and their legacy continues to be honored by the university community.
Dean Williams' decision to suspend Holmes and Hunter was likely influenced by the escalating tensions and violence that occurred on the night of January 11. With a large mob causing significant property damage and endangering the students' physical safety, suspension may have been deemed a necessary precaution to protect them from further harm. However, this decision also had broader implications for the university and the state. By suspending the students, Dean Williams inadvertently contributed to the constitutional crisis facing state legislators, who were grappling with the injunction against enforcing segregation laws. The suspension brought the issue of school integration to a head, leading to intense debates and, ultimately, the repeal of the laws barring state support for integrated schools.
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State officials reversed the law that prohibited funding for integrated schools
Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter became the first Black students to attend the University of Georgia (UGA) on January 9, 1961, ending 160 to 176 years of segregation at the school. Their admission was ordered by U.S. District Judge William Bootle, who ruled that the university could not deny their admissions.
Initially, Holmes and Hunter's first day of classes on January 11, 1961, was considered a success. However, that night, a mob of over 1,000 Athens residents and UGA students gathered outside Hunter's dorm, shouting racial insults and throwing objects. Due to safety concerns, Holmes and Hunter were suspended and sent home. However, Judge Bootle ordered their readmission on January 16.
In response to the unrest, state officials reversed the law that prohibited state funding for integrated schools. This law had been used to enforce segregation in colleges and universities, stating that white institutions would lose state funding if they chose to integrate. The reversal of this law was a significant step toward desegregating colleges and universities in the Deep South.
Following the reversal of the law, Mary Frances Early became the third Black student to attend UGA and the first Black graduate in 1962. Early, who had been a master's student at the University of Michigan, was inspired by Holmes and Hunter's courage to transfer to UGA and help with the integration process. Despite facing discrimination and threats, she persevered and made history.
The actions of Holmes, Hunter, and Early paved the way for future Black students at UGA and served as a reminder of the power of individuals to bring about positive change. Their courage and determination opened doors not only for African Americans but for everyone who wanted to attend the university.
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Mary Frances Early was the first Black graduate of UGA
Mary Frances Early was the first Black graduate of the University of Georgia (UGA). She was born on 14 June 1936 in Atlanta, Georgia, to John H. and Ruth Early. After graduating from Turner High School, she attended Clark College (later Clark Atlanta University), obtaining a bachelor's degree in music education in 1957. She then pursued a master's degree in music education at the University of Michigan.
In 1961, inspired by Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes, who had become the first Black students at UGA that year, Early decided to transfer to UGA to help integrate the graduate school. She endured a difficult admissions process, facing inappropriate questions and racist abuse from students. She received her acceptance letter on 10 May 1961 and began summer classes shortly after.
On 16 August 1962, Early became the first African American to graduate from UGA, receiving her master's degree in music education. Her accomplishment has often been overshadowed by that of Hunter and Holmes. Early went on to have a distinguished career in education and received numerous honours later in life. In 2013, UGA awarded her an honorary doctorate of law, and in 2018, she was honoured with a documentary about her life, titled "Mary Frances Early: The Quiet Trailblazer". In 2020, the UGA College of Education was renamed the Mary Frances Early College of Education in her honour.
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Frequently asked questions
Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter.
Hamilton Holmes studied medicine and Charlayne Hunter studied journalism.
On 9 January 1961, Holmes and Hunter were met by mobs of people yelling racial slurs as they walked through the all-white school. On 11 January, a riot formed outside Hunter's dormitory. The pair were suspended and sent home for their safety but were readmitted on 16 January.
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