Renovated Hunter-Holmes Academic Building welcomes Franklin units

The University of Georgia celebrated the completion of renovations to the Holmes-Hunter Academic Building on UGA’s historic North Campus on Oct. 4. The building is named in honor of Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter-Gault, the first African American students to attend UGA:

The renovations included restored historic features, improved accessibility, enhanced functionality and a courtyard that pays tribute to the building’s namesakes.

The $30 million project was approved in 2021 by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. It was supported by a $15 million gift from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, which accelerated the project by several years. The project also received support from Georgia Power Company and Regions Bank.

Hunter-Gault recorded remarks for the event, which were broadcast to attendees assembled for the dedication.

“I can never forget the day Hamilton Homes, aka Hamp, and I walked into the building,” said Hunter-Gault. “Despite the ugly, racist taunts protesting people aimed at us outside, we were focused on what we were doing and what was necessary to realize our dreams. What is so inspiring today is that this institution has leadership that recognizes the importance of keeping both history and hope alive.”

The Holmes-Hunter Academic Building began as two separate structures — the Ivy Building, completed in 1834, and the Library, completed in 1863. In 1905, they were connected and enlarged to create the Academic Building, forming a courtyard that was gradually filled in to bridge the two structures completely during the 1960s and 1970s. The building was renamed in 2001 to mark the 40th anniversary of UGA’s integration.

Today the Holmes-Hunter Academic Building houses the Office of the Registrar, the Office of Student Financial Aid and the Office of Inclusive Excellence as well as the Institute for African American Studies and the African Studies Institute.

Congratulations to our colleagues returning to this beautifully renovated facility that inspires the university's future by honoring the challenges of its past.

Image: Photo of the courtyard of the Holmes-Hunter Academic Building during the dedication ceremony. (Chamberlain Smith/UGA)