Historical Marker

Mary Holmes College

Named for Mary Holmes of Rockford, Illinois, who dedicated her life to education, this school was founded in Jackson in 1892 by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Board of Missions for Freedmen as a seminary for African American women. Mary Holmes Seminary moved to West Point in 1895. In 1932 the seminary began admitting men and added college level courses. Mary Holmes College closed its doors in 2005.