NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — He was a Civil Rights icon in Nashville who stood next to the likes of John Lewis and Diane Nash.
King Hollands was one of the first Black students to integrate Father Ryan High School in the '50s, and he participated in the Woolworth's Lunch counter sit-ins of the '60s.
Those Woolworths lunch counter sit-ins sent Hollands to jail for two weeks.
Today, Metro Councilwoman Zulfat Suara is part of a push to transform the historic Morris Memorial Building downtown into a museum dedicated to Nashville's African American history — a history that Hollands helped write.
"We're losing the history and we do need to find a place to memorialize and congratulate and learn what each one of them has done and how we can learn from it," Suara said.
King Hollands was 82 years old.
This is a story I immediately went home and showed my boys - young athletes with big dreams. The Vanderbilt football team's success has stolen the spotlight - what I love about Steve Layman's story is he reveals the individual hardships it took to get there. As Clark Lea says, "we all have scuff marks." This team proves perseverance pays off!
- Carrie Sharp
