Donald L. Hollowell

Donald L. Hollowell
source
Name	Donald L. Hollowell
Birth date	19 December 1917
Birth place	Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
Death date	27 December 2004
Death place	Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Alma mater	Lane College (BA), Loyola University Chicago School of Law (JD)
Occupation	Lawyer, civil rights attorney
Spouse	Louise T. Hollowell

Donald L. Hollowell

Donald L. Hollowell was a prominent African American civil rights attorney who played a pivotal role in dismantling racial segregation in the American South during the 1950s and 1960s. A key figure in the Georgia civil rights movement, he is best known for his successful litigation in the landmark case that desegregated the University of Georgia. Hollowell's legal career was dedicated to defending activists, challenging Jim Crow laws, and securing constitutional rights for Black citizens.

Early life and education

Donald Lee Hollowell was born on December 19, 1917, in Wichita, Kansas. During the Great Depression, he left high school and worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps before enlisting in the United States Army. He served with the all-Black 10th Cavalry Regiment, known as the "Buffalo Soldiers," and rose to the rank of first sergeant. His military experience, where he faced and challenged discrimination, fueled his determination to fight for justice. After World War II, he used the G.I. Bill to complete his secondary education and earn a Bachelor of Arts from Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee. He then pursued a law degree, graduating from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 1951.

Legal career and civil rights litigation

After passing the Georgia bar examination, Hollowell established a private practice in Atlanta in 1952. He quickly became a leading civil rights lawyer in the state, often working in collaboration with organizations like the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. His practice focused on challenging systemic racism, including defending victims of police brutality, fighting for voting rights, and representing labor activists. Hollowell served as a mentor to a younger generation of lawyers, including a young Vernon Jordan, who worked as his driver and law clerk. His firm became a central hub for civil rights legal strategy in Georgia.

Key cases and clients

Hollowell represented a wide array of clients central to the movement. He successfully defended the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders of the Albany Movement against charges related to peaceful protests. He also secured the release of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) activist Julian Bond from a politically motivated contempt charge in the Georgia House of Representatives. In the realm of labor rights, he represented Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton E. Holmes in their fight to enter the University of Georgia. Beyond education, he litigated cases to desegregate public facilities, including Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, and defended individuals in high-profile criminal cases where racial prejudice was evident.

Role in the desegregation of the University of Georgia

Hollowell's most famous legal victory was in the case of Holmes v. Danner (1961). He served as lead counsel for applicants Hamilton E. Holmes and Charlayne Hunter, who had been denied admission to the University of Georgia solely based on race. After a protracted legal battle, Hollowell and his co-counsel, including Constance Baker Motley of the NAACP LDF, argued before U.S. District Judge William Bootle. The court ruled in their favor, ordering the university to admit the students. Hollowell personally escorted Holmes and Hunter onto the campus in January 1961 amid violent protests, a decisive moment in the desegregation of higher education in the Deep South.

Later career and government service

After his landmark civil rights litigation, Hollowell transitioned to federal government service. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed him as the Regional Director of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for the Southeastern United States, a position he held for over a decade. In this role, he enforced Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, combating employment discrimination across multiple states. Following his tenure at the EEOC, he founded a corporate consulting firm in Atlanta, focusing on equal opportunity compliance and urban affairs. He remained an active voice for social justice throughout his life.

Legacy and honors

Donald L. Hollowell is remembered as a legal giant of the civil rights era. His work paved the way for the integration of public institutions and expanded legal protections for African Americans. In 2002, a major thoroughfare in Atlanta, formerly known as Bankhead Highway, was renamed Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway in his honor. The University of Georgia awards the annual Donald L. Hollowell Ph.D. Fellowship to support minority scholars. His life and contributions are documented in archives at the Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History and the Auburn Avenue and in theses, and his wife, Georgia (Civcouncil, Georgia (U.S. state) and the University of the University of the, Georgia (U.S.