Educator, United States Diplomat, Businessman. An All-American at Cornell University in the 1930s and member of the College Football Hall of Fame, "Brud" Holland further distinguished himself as a scholar, educator, diplomat, and as the first African-American to head the New York Stock Exchange and the American Red Cross. Born Jerome Heartwell Holland in Auburn, New York, he was dubbed "Brudder" by one of his twelve siblings, and its shortened version became his lifelong nickname. Despite Holland's prowess on the gridiron, a professional career did not await him after his graduation from Cornell in 1939, as the National Football League remained racially segregated. He consequently furthered his education while coaching collegiate teams, earning a Master's Degree at Cornell and a Doctorate in Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to teaching, he served as President of Delaware State College and the Hampton Institute in Virginia before being named US. Ambassador to Sweden in 1970, a post he resigned two years later to become the Director of the New York Stock Exchange. Dr. Holland was also the first African-American to head the American Red Cross, a position he held from 1979 until his death, and was particularly effective in facilitating good relations between the Red Cross and its counterpart in the Islamic world, the Red Crescent. He was 69 years old and the recipient of numerous honors at the time of his death.
Educator, United States Diplomat, Businessman. An All-American at Cornell University in the 1930s and member of the College Football Hall of Fame, "Brud" Holland further distinguished himself as a scholar, educator, diplomat, and as the first African-American to head the New York Stock Exchange and the American Red Cross. Born Jerome Heartwell Holland in Auburn, New York, he was dubbed "Brudder" by one of his twelve siblings, and its shortened version became his lifelong nickname. Despite Holland's prowess on the gridiron, a professional career did not await him after his graduation from Cornell in 1939, as the National Football League remained racially segregated. He consequently furthered his education while coaching collegiate teams, earning a Master's Degree at Cornell and a Doctorate in Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to teaching, he served as President of Delaware State College and the Hampton Institute in Virginia before being named US. Ambassador to Sweden in 1970, a post he resigned two years later to become the Director of the New York Stock Exchange. Dr. Holland was also the first African-American to head the American Red Cross, a position he held from 1979 until his death, and was particularly effective in facilitating good relations between the Red Cross and its counterpart in the Islamic world, the Red Crescent. He was 69 years old and the recipient of numerous honors at the time of his death.
Bio by: Nikita Barlow
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