Mary Ford Holland posthumously awarded an honorary doctorate at Murray State University commencement

MURRAY, Ky. – Mary Ford Holland was posthumously awarded an honorary doctorate from Murray State University as part of the fall 2022 commencement ceremony on Dec. 10 at the CFSB Center. Holland received a Doctor of Education, with the degree accepted by Elnora Ford, Holland’s niece and longtime caretaker.

“We were honored to confer an honorary doctorate posthumously to Ms. Mary Ford Holland as part of our fall 2022 commencement ceremony,” said Murray State President Dr. Bob Jackson. “Ms. Holland will always be remembered as a woman of grace, dignity, courage and determination. We are very grateful to Ms. Elnora Ford, Ms. Holland’s niece and longtime caretaker, for visiting our campus to share many special memories of Ms. Holland’s life and for accepting Ms. Holland’s honorary doctorate.” 

“This is such an honor. I can see her now, responding to ‘Dr. Mary Ford Holland’. That would bring her great joy, so for this, I am eternally grateful,” said Ford, before encouraging graduates to embrace life, love, their profession and serving others.

Holland, formerly Mary Nathanial Ford, was born on May 25, 1907, in Hematite, Kentucky, in Trigg County. She was the sixth of ten children born to Charlie and Cornelia Ford. Mary was home schooled by her mother and grandmother until she entered the eighth grade. Holland graduated from a segregated boarding school in Paducah and eventually received her teaching certificate from West Kentucky Industrial College, now West Kentucky Community and Technical College, in 1935. Holland also attended Kentucky State College, now Kentucky State University part-time through correspondence courses, working toward a bachelor’s degree.

In the summer of 1955, at the age of 48, Holland transferred to Murray State College, now Murray State University, becoming the first African-American student to attend the institution. On her first day on campus, she was escorted to class by police officers and by Murray State’s then President, Dr. Ralph Woods. However, historians and Mary Ford Holland herself noted at the time that her presence on campus caused little to no stir among students enrolled. She received her bachelor’s degree in Education from Murray State in August of 1961 at the age of 54. Her decision to attend the University came on the heels of the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision and her enrollment officially integrated Murray State University.

She was a pioneer in education and continued teaching literacy and English studies throughout Trigg, Caldwell, Christian and Lyon counties, eventually retiring as a Reading Specialist at Lyon County Elementary School in 1972. She remained an active member of the Retired Teachers' Association and was a 75-year member of Locust Grove Baptist Church. Holland received a key to the City of Eddyville in 1998.

She and her husband, Charles Edward Holland, who died in 1987, had no children. Her niece Elnora Ford was her caretaker until her death at age 92 in September of 1999 in Lyon County.

A historical marker was designated on the campus of Murray State University by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, in front of Pogue Library in the Quad, highlighting her important legacy to the University, west Kentucky and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.