One of Mississippi State University's Most Notable Alums Has Passed - Home - WCBI TV

Richard E. Holmes, first Black student at Mississippi State University, dies at 82

Dr. Richard E. Holmes, Mississippi State University's first Black student, died on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2026. He was 82. Holmes earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from MSU, graduated from Michigan State University Medical School and later returned to serve as a staff physician at Mississippi State’s Longest Student Health Center.

One of Mississippi State University's most notable alums has passed - Home - WCBI TV

Dr. Richard E. Holmes, the first African-American student in Mississippi State history, visited campus on Tuesday night for “Leading out Front: A Conversation with Dr. Richard Holmes.” The trailblazer discussed how the university as a whole supported him and provided him the motivational learning atmosphere that allowed him to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a physician.(photo by Beth Newman...

Beloved alumnus and legend Dr. Richard E. Holmes, first MSU African American student dies at 82

STARKVILLE — Dr. Richard E. Holmes, Mississippi State University’s first African American student, died Oct. 16 at age 82. Upon learning of Dr. Holmes’s passing, MSU President Mark E. Keenum said: “My wife and my four children, all now MSU students, join me in mourning the death of a man who profoundly and positively influenced […]

Mississippi State's first African American student, Dr. Richard E. Holmes, dies at 82

Dr. Richard E. Holmes, Mississippi State University's first African American student, died Oct. 16, 2026, in Starkville. He was 82, WJTV reported.

Dr. Richard Holmes, student who integrated Mississippi State University, dies at 82

Mississippi State University’s first Black student, Dr. Richard Holmes, has passed away at age 82. Holmes, a native of Starkville, integrated Mississippi State when he enrolled on July 15, 1965. He went on to earn an undergraduate degree in liberal arts and a master’s degree in microbiology at the university. “My wife and my four […]

Beloved alumnus and legend Dr. Richard E. Holmes, first MSU African American student dies at 82 - Mississippi Monitor

  Dr. Richard E. Holmes, Mississippi State University’s first African American student, died Oct. 16 at age 82. Upon learning of Dr. Holmes’s passing, MSU President Mark E. Keenum said: “My wife and my four children, all now MSU students, join me in mourning the death of a man who profoundly and positively influenced our […]