AARL Archives

GA State Representative Robert “Bob” Holmes, PhD

 Politics in the Archives

Dr. Robert Holmes served as a State Representative in the Georgia General Assembly from 1975 to 2009. Over the years, he rose to be one of the most influential members of that body, becoming the first African American to serve on the Budget Sub-Committee. He served as Director of the Southern Center for Studies in Public Policy from 1985-2005, headquartered at Clark- Atlanta University.

Dr. Holmes was also the Director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute from 2002-2005, an organization dedicated to maintaining the rich legacy of

 Du Boisian scholarship.

Dr. Holmes completed his PhD in political science at Columbia University at the age of 25 and went on to hold several prestigious fellowships, including Fellow, Southern Center for International Studies, 1978-1981. He also served as a Danforth Foundation Associate, 1975-1986.

His collection in the AARL Archives includes photographs, correspondence, records of his political contributions, committees served on, national boards of directors served on, speeches, state and national awards; papers presented and published journal articles.

The collection also highlights his role as a founding member of one of the first African American running clubs in the southeastern United States. Holmes has been an avid runner since the early 1970’s.

-Eleanor L. Hunter, Librarian

Auburn Avenue Research Library