OUR LEGACY
A HERITAGE OF CHANGEMAKERS
Alfred “Tup” Holmes and his son Hamilton E. Holmes were trailblazers in the fight for racial equality in the sport of golf and in education. The Holmes family legacy opened doors for everyone, regardless of skin color, to play golf, use public facilities, and attend public universities. The Alfred “Tup” Holmes landmark Supreme Court case, Holmes v. Atlanta in 1955, and the Hamilton Holmes Georgia State University lawsuit in 1961 broke down racial barriers and created a pathway to equality.
Alfred "Tup" Holmes
“Tup” Holmes was an amateur golf champion who played a crucial role in desegregating Atlanta’s public golf courses. Holmes was born in East Point, Georgia, in 1917 and began playing golf at a young age, quickly showing promise. He honed his golf skills with the caddies at Candler Park and later at Tuskegee College, where he played on the golf team, winning numerous tournaments, including an impressive 3 Southern Intercollegiate Championships. Holmes later won over ten Amateur Championships in his golf career, including topping the National Negro Amateur Championship 4 times and capturing the Black-only Southern Amateur title 3 times.
In the early 1950s, Holmes became involved in the fight for racial equality in golf after he and his relatives were barred from playing a round of golf at Bobby Jones Golf Course, a public course in Atlanta, due to Georgia’s segregation laws. Holmes and his family fought back for racial equality in golf, resulting in the landmark Holmes v. Atlanta 1955 Supreme Court verdict desegregating all public golf courses in Atlanta.
In 1955, “Tup” Holmes, Charles Bell, and Oliver Wendell Holmes teed off at North Fulton Golf Course, becoming the first Black golfers to play since it opened in 1929. Holmes’s efforts helped to pave the way for the desegregation of golf in the United States, defeating the right for everyone to play. In 2012, Alfred “Tup” Holmes was posthumously inducted into the Georgia State Golf Association Hall of Fame.
Hamilton E. Holmes
“Tup” Holmes’ son, Hamilton E. Holmes, and Charlayne Hunter-Gault were the first African-American students admitted to the University of Georgia in 1961. Additionally, Holmes was the first African-American student to attend the Emory University School of Medicine, where he earned his M.D. degree in 1967 and practiced orthopedic surgery. He was also a professor of orthopedics at Emory University School of Medicine and was the Medical Director at Grady Hospital in Atlanta.
Hamilton Holmes and Hunter-Gault’s admission to the University of Georgia was initially blocked by the university’s board of regents. Holmes, a valedictorian, pre-med student, and president of his high school class, was told he was not smart enough and that his family lacked character. Holmes and Hunter-Gault sued the university, and in 1961 and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in their favor and ordered the University of Georgia to admit them.
Holmes and Hunter-Gault faced hostility and harassment from many students and faculty at the University of Georgia. However, they persevered and graduated in 1963. Holmes went on to make history again as the first African-American to earn his M.D. degree from Emory University School of Medicine in 1967. Holmes died of cancer in 1995 at the age of 53. He was a pioneer in the fight for racial equality in education. His legacy is one of courage, determination, and achievement.
Water Sports
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Winter Sports
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Why Outdoor Adventure
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What You Get
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- Private Hike: Locavit liberioris possedit
- Transportation: Diremit mundi mare undae
- Great Facilities: Spectent tonitrua mutastis