Info
Irene Holt Morrison
Irene Holt Morrison was born in Pulaski County, Virginia, as the second of five children to Randall Clinton Holt and Elsie Ann Hall Holt. She graduated from Christiansburg Industrial Institute in 1945 and then attended Morristown College in Morristown, TN, where she initially planned to become a physician (7). In 1947, upon graduation from Morristown College, she returned to her home and family in Pulaski, VA, to care for her ill mother, where she was offered a teaching position at the Rich-Hill School in Allisonia. She taught first through ninth graders in the one-room schoolhouse in Allisonia for 16 years before joining the faculty at Calfee Training School (7). Morrison was a key advocate for equal education in Pulaski County and was active in the African American Teachers Association throughout her career.
Butcher Knives
No longer able to complete the physical demands that a farm requires by 1950, Randall C. Holt was unable to work due to losing both legs to diabetes. By 1960, Randall was considered a butcher, working for “Southern States” in Pulaski. Even though Randall lost both of his legs from diabetes, he did not let that stop him from continuing to work for his children's livelihoods. Creating leather slings and makeshift aids in mobility for himself, Randall Holt worked as a butcher on the infamous “slaughterhouse road” in Dublin. Butchering was not only a labor-intensive job but it also requires knowledge and skill. The job of butchering offered a space for black men to hold the title of a skilled laborer, despite the discriminatory barriers placed on Black Americans. Randall C. Holt provided for his family by being a skilled laborer in the art of butchering towards the end of his life, thus making it possible for his children to prioritize their education and earn higher education degrees.
Tree
Spreading throughout the Holt family quilt block is a golden tree which stretches its branches to every side and corner of the block. Symbolizing the interconnectedness and continuity of the family's history from past ancestors to descendants of today, the tree highlights how older generations have influenced and helped the younger generations of the family. The Holt family was big, with many familial and local relationships and influence in Pulaski. Throughout the many family reunions, gatherings, weddings, and funerals, the family was very present in each other's lives, while also being present in the community. The two bottom branches of the tree are embroidered with the names of Randall C. Holt and Elise Ann Holt, parents of the four children listed in the thinner branches that spread across the top of the tree.
Cecil E. Holt
on December 26th, 1928, Cecil E. Holt was born to parents Randall and Elsie Ann Holt. In August of 1945, Cecil confronted his mother with a choice to either sign off on Cecil’s deployment and know where he would be, or not sign off on the document, resulting in no updates or contact with her son during his deployment. Elsie chose to know where her son would be, and signed off on his deployment to join the US Navy. On the registration card, Cecil wrote a false birthday to increase his chances of getting deployed. On top of the card, written in red ink, says “Canceled, Born 12-26-28,” showing the attempted fabrication common among teenage boys during both World Wars who wanted to serve. George Morrison remebered Cecil's return 30 years after his deployment where the whole family was ecstatic. His emotional reunion with his sisters and extended family show the type of familial connection and bond the Holt family had.
Irene Holt Morrison
Irene Holt Morrison returned to Pulaski after college to be a teacher at the Rich Hill School. By the 1950s, 23-year-old Irene was living in her father's home as the only source of income in the house. Working to support her father and younger sisters, Irene sacrificed a lot for the betterment of her family. Because of the hope she brought to her students and community, she was known as Mrs. Hope her students and fellow teachers. Dedicating over 40 years of service to the community through teaching and education, Irene has been a pillar for the Pulaski County community in every organization she was a part of. Her impactful legacy lives on after her passing.
Photo: Irene Holt Morrison taken from Funeral Program, Sept. 3rd, 2017
Apple
Apples are commonly associated with teachers and education because of their symbolic representation of knowledge. Therefore, it was only fitting to include an apple on the quilt square next to the portrait of Irene Holt Morrison as she used her vast array of knowledge to educate students for decades. She not only made her students feel a love for education and reading, but her two children, George and Kathleen Morrison, remember their mother as someone who inspired both of them to appreciate reading, museums, and even plays or theatre productions. Often used as a gift of gratitude towards a teacher that a student is especially grateful for, the likelihood that Mrs. Hope has received an apple from a student at some point in her teaching career is very likely.
Holt Family Names Signed onto the Lawsuit
"Mary D. Holt an infant, by Randall C. Holt, her father and next friend."
The image shown above is a portion of the lawsuit that was filed in 1947 highlighting the specific members of the Holt family who were included in the lawsuit. Daughter Mary D. Holt was signed onto the court case by her father Randall C. Holt.
Randall C. Holt
Born in 1890, Randall C. Holt was the husband of Elsie Anna Holt and the father of his four children, Irene, Gladys, Mary, and Cecil. Initially he worked as a laborer for the Dora Furnace, Virginia Iron, Coal & Coke Company in Pulaski. After the closing of the furnace company in 1930, Randall was left to find another way to support his family. After the furnace company closed, Randall likely converted his home he lived in since 1920 off Dora highway into a farm to support his family. According to his death certificate, by the time of his death he was a butcher who worked for “Southern States.” Randall C. Holt sacrificed so much for the betterment of their children's lives and futures. They also pushed for their children to take schooling seriously because of the increased opportunities education gave to black citizens at the time.
Mary D. Holt
Born in 1931 Mary D. Holt attended Calfee Training School and Christiansburg Industrial Institute. Mary was the only child of the Holt family, signed onto the Corbin et al. v. County School Board of Pulaski County, VA. et al. lawsuit by her father. Mary continued her education beyond high school and pursued a career in healthcare as a nurse after graduation. While living in Chicago, Mary kept close contact with her family in Virginia. After she and her husband, Al Davis, moved from Chicago to Northern Virginia because of his new position within the Carter administration, Mary could visit her family in Pulaski more frequently creating fond memories between George and Kathleen Morrison and their Aunt Mary. Described by George as “the most loving, sweetest, kindest person you’d ever meet,” Mary made a lasting impression on her family at the many social gatherings and reunions she attended.
Original Case File
Included in the Holt quilt design is a section of the Original Lawsuit file that lists the case number as well as where it was filed. While designing the Holt quilt square, it was important to highlight the lawsuit in itself as a way to commemorate the courageous and difficult act of signing onto a civil rights court case in the 1940's.
Filed: No. 541-Civil May 15, 1947C.E. Gentry, ClerkBy Stella M. Landford, D.C. In the District Court of the United States for the Western District of VirginiaRoanoke Division
Ruler
Both Randall and Elsie Holt placed a high value on obtaining an education for their children. Knowing the difficulties that come with not having the opportunity to receive a secondary education, Randall made sure all four of his children were able to complete both primary and secondary school, and encouraged higher education for the female children. Signing his daughter Mary onto the Corbin et al. v. County School Board of Pulaski, VA. et al. suit, he also faught for a higher quality of education for his children that was not limited by discriminatory practices of the Pulaski County School Board. Irene Holt Morrison was able to pass down her love for education onto her children, Kathleen and George Morrison by encouraging both of them to have an appreciation for reading. By asking her children, “if education weren’t so important, why did they work so hard to keep it from us?”, Irene embedded education into her two children's lives to lift them above barriers placed upon African Americans. Both George and Kathleen were able to obtain graduate-level degrees because of the importance placed on education by their mother and grandparents respectively.
Randall C. Holt Obituary
In 1960, Randall C. Holt passed away at the age of 70. His obituary was included in the quilt design to honor the legacy of Randall C. Holt, while also showing the many people that he felt were necessary to honor in his obituary. The many names listed that take up the bulk of the obituary text goes to show just how loved and appreciated he was. The family connection of the Holt family was close and strong as it was showed here in the obituary of Randall C. Holt as he acted in many ways as a glue that held that familial connection together.
Tree-Familial Connection
Spreading throughout the entire Holt family quilt block is a golden tree which stretches its branches to every side and corner of the block. Symbolizing the interconnectedness and continuity of the family's history from past ancestors to descendants of today, the tree highlights how older generations have influenced and helped the younger generations of the family. The Holt family was big, with many familial and local relationships and influence in Pulaski. As George Morrison describes, there was always an understanding in the family of “who you are, and whose you are,” creating a strong familial connection between the many different branches on the family tree. Throughout the many family reunions, gatherings, weddings, and funerals, the family was very present in each other's lives, while also being present in the community. The two bottom branches of the tree are embroidered with the names of Randall C. Holt and Elise Ann Holt, parents of the four children listed in the thinner branches that spread across the top of the tree. The tree symbolizes the familial connection between the parents and their four children, with each core value held by Elsie and Randall Holt traveling up the tree trunk into each value and moral system of the children embroidered on the higher but younger branches. Values such as education, hard work, and political involvement were passed down from those who came before Randall and Elsie Holt. This still has a lasting legacy on the descendants of the Holt family, such as George and Kathleen Morrison.
Elsie Ann Holt
Elsie Ann Holt was born Elsie Ann Hall on August 26, 1892, to parents Lewis Hall & Lucy Bateman in Pulaski County, Virginia. Elsie married Randall C. Holt and would go on to have four children. By 1920, the couple bought their home on Dora Highway in Pulaski, down the road from Randall's job. Throughout most of her married life, she did not have a formal job and would primarily act as a stay-at-home mom to care for the children. By 1940, she was working as a private homemaker for other households as an extra source of income to support the family after the likely layoff of Randall C. Holt. Contributing both in and out of the family home in terms of work, Elsie Ann Holt was a vital member of her family as the mother of four children who advocated for her children to obtain an education and live fruitful lives.
Rake and Greens
In the 1940 census, Randall C. Holt was listed as a self-employed farmer who owned his land. The label of farming in Randall's career was a stark difference from the other census records and documents that listed his occupation. With the closing of the company he worked for for around 20 years in 1930, it's more than likely thathe resorted to farming to make money for the family. Out of the need for a second income in the household, Randall made do with what he had by conducting farmwork on his land. Likely converting his home into a farm, Randall was a dedicated provider for his family. Specifically remembered by George Morrison was the presence of fruit and cherry trees on Randall’s property where he would then sell the fruit to local families in the area. To symbolize his work as a farmer, including line drawings of a cabbage and a rake onto the quilt design is meant to honor the hard work Randall C. Holt did while times were uncertain for the family.
Gladys Holt Sokolow
Gladys Holt Sokolow was born in 1932 in Pulaski County to parents Randall C. Holt and Elsie Ann Holt. Growing up, Gladys attended both Calfee Training School and Christiansburg Industrial Institute, in which she graduated from in 1953. After graduation, Gladys landed a teaching position in Pulaski. By the time Gladys had been teaching for a few years in Pulaski, she realized she was “unhappy with the system” and ended up leaving in April of 1959 to live in New York City, spending 42 years there working in a city library. In 2002, Gladys returned to Virginia by moving to Christiansburg to be closer to her family and siblings. Once she returned to Christiansburg, she quickly got involved with the Christiansburg Institute Alumni Association (CIAA) and the non profit organization, Christiansburg Institute, Inc. (CI Inc.).
Gladys G. Holt
Throughout Gladys Holt Sokolow’s life, her experience at school and education in general played a crucial role, which began with the importance of education stressed by her parents. Gladys attended both the Calfee Training School and the Christiansburg Institute. She remembered the commute to CI being at least an hour and a half each way on the bus, which brought up challenges that limited her educational and extracurricular opportunities due to so much time spent during the commute to and from school each day. Still, she was determined to receive her education and attend CI and therefore made the trip each morning despite its length.
Gladys G. Holt taken from 1953 Christiansburg Industrial Institute Yearbook
Holt
Jill Williams
Created on April 18, 2025
Start designing with a free template
Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:
View
Essential Business Proposal
View
Project Roadmap Timeline
View
Step-by-Step Timeline: How to Develop an Idea
View
Artificial Intelligence History Timeline
View
Mind Map: The 4 Pillars of Success
View
Big Data: The Data That Drives the World
View
Momentum: Onboarding Presentation
Explore all templates
Transcript
Info
Irene Holt Morrison
Irene Holt Morrison was born in Pulaski County, Virginia, as the second of five children to Randall Clinton Holt and Elsie Ann Hall Holt. She graduated from Christiansburg Industrial Institute in 1945 and then attended Morristown College in Morristown, TN, where she initially planned to become a physician (7). In 1947, upon graduation from Morristown College, she returned to her home and family in Pulaski, VA, to care for her ill mother, where she was offered a teaching position at the Rich-Hill School in Allisonia. She taught first through ninth graders in the one-room schoolhouse in Allisonia for 16 years before joining the faculty at Calfee Training School (7). Morrison was a key advocate for equal education in Pulaski County and was active in the African American Teachers Association throughout her career.
Butcher Knives
No longer able to complete the physical demands that a farm requires by 1950, Randall C. Holt was unable to work due to losing both legs to diabetes. By 1960, Randall was considered a butcher, working for “Southern States” in Pulaski. Even though Randall lost both of his legs from diabetes, he did not let that stop him from continuing to work for his children's livelihoods. Creating leather slings and makeshift aids in mobility for himself, Randall Holt worked as a butcher on the infamous “slaughterhouse road” in Dublin. Butchering was not only a labor-intensive job but it also requires knowledge and skill. The job of butchering offered a space for black men to hold the title of a skilled laborer, despite the discriminatory barriers placed on Black Americans. Randall C. Holt provided for his family by being a skilled laborer in the art of butchering towards the end of his life, thus making it possible for his children to prioritize their education and earn higher education degrees.
Tree
Spreading throughout the Holt family quilt block is a golden tree which stretches its branches to every side and corner of the block. Symbolizing the interconnectedness and continuity of the family's history from past ancestors to descendants of today, the tree highlights how older generations have influenced and helped the younger generations of the family. The Holt family was big, with many familial and local relationships and influence in Pulaski. Throughout the many family reunions, gatherings, weddings, and funerals, the family was very present in each other's lives, while also being present in the community. The two bottom branches of the tree are embroidered with the names of Randall C. Holt and Elise Ann Holt, parents of the four children listed in the thinner branches that spread across the top of the tree.
Cecil E. Holt
on December 26th, 1928, Cecil E. Holt was born to parents Randall and Elsie Ann Holt. In August of 1945, Cecil confronted his mother with a choice to either sign off on Cecil’s deployment and know where he would be, or not sign off on the document, resulting in no updates or contact with her son during his deployment. Elsie chose to know where her son would be, and signed off on his deployment to join the US Navy. On the registration card, Cecil wrote a false birthday to increase his chances of getting deployed. On top of the card, written in red ink, says “Canceled, Born 12-26-28,” showing the attempted fabrication common among teenage boys during both World Wars who wanted to serve. George Morrison remebered Cecil's return 30 years after his deployment where the whole family was ecstatic. His emotional reunion with his sisters and extended family show the type of familial connection and bond the Holt family had.
Irene Holt Morrison
Irene Holt Morrison returned to Pulaski after college to be a teacher at the Rich Hill School. By the 1950s, 23-year-old Irene was living in her father's home as the only source of income in the house. Working to support her father and younger sisters, Irene sacrificed a lot for the betterment of her family. Because of the hope she brought to her students and community, she was known as Mrs. Hope her students and fellow teachers. Dedicating over 40 years of service to the community through teaching and education, Irene has been a pillar for the Pulaski County community in every organization she was a part of. Her impactful legacy lives on after her passing.
Photo: Irene Holt Morrison taken from Funeral Program, Sept. 3rd, 2017
Apple
Apples are commonly associated with teachers and education because of their symbolic representation of knowledge. Therefore, it was only fitting to include an apple on the quilt square next to the portrait of Irene Holt Morrison as she used her vast array of knowledge to educate students for decades. She not only made her students feel a love for education and reading, but her two children, George and Kathleen Morrison, remember their mother as someone who inspired both of them to appreciate reading, museums, and even plays or theatre productions. Often used as a gift of gratitude towards a teacher that a student is especially grateful for, the likelihood that Mrs. Hope has received an apple from a student at some point in her teaching career is very likely.
Holt Family Names Signed onto the Lawsuit
"Mary D. Holt an infant, by Randall C. Holt, her father and next friend."
The image shown above is a portion of the lawsuit that was filed in 1947 highlighting the specific members of the Holt family who were included in the lawsuit. Daughter Mary D. Holt was signed onto the court case by her father Randall C. Holt.
Randall C. Holt
Born in 1890, Randall C. Holt was the husband of Elsie Anna Holt and the father of his four children, Irene, Gladys, Mary, and Cecil. Initially he worked as a laborer for the Dora Furnace, Virginia Iron, Coal & Coke Company in Pulaski. After the closing of the furnace company in 1930, Randall was left to find another way to support his family. After the furnace company closed, Randall likely converted his home he lived in since 1920 off Dora highway into a farm to support his family. According to his death certificate, by the time of his death he was a butcher who worked for “Southern States.” Randall C. Holt sacrificed so much for the betterment of their children's lives and futures. They also pushed for their children to take schooling seriously because of the increased opportunities education gave to black citizens at the time.
Mary D. Holt
Born in 1931 Mary D. Holt attended Calfee Training School and Christiansburg Industrial Institute. Mary was the only child of the Holt family, signed onto the Corbin et al. v. County School Board of Pulaski County, VA. et al. lawsuit by her father. Mary continued her education beyond high school and pursued a career in healthcare as a nurse after graduation. While living in Chicago, Mary kept close contact with her family in Virginia. After she and her husband, Al Davis, moved from Chicago to Northern Virginia because of his new position within the Carter administration, Mary could visit her family in Pulaski more frequently creating fond memories between George and Kathleen Morrison and their Aunt Mary. Described by George as “the most loving, sweetest, kindest person you’d ever meet,” Mary made a lasting impression on her family at the many social gatherings and reunions she attended.
Original Case File
Included in the Holt quilt design is a section of the Original Lawsuit file that lists the case number as well as where it was filed. While designing the Holt quilt square, it was important to highlight the lawsuit in itself as a way to commemorate the courageous and difficult act of signing onto a civil rights court case in the 1940's.
Filed: No. 541-Civil May 15, 1947C.E. Gentry, ClerkBy Stella M. Landford, D.C. In the District Court of the United States for the Western District of VirginiaRoanoke Division
Ruler
Both Randall and Elsie Holt placed a high value on obtaining an education for their children. Knowing the difficulties that come with not having the opportunity to receive a secondary education, Randall made sure all four of his children were able to complete both primary and secondary school, and encouraged higher education for the female children. Signing his daughter Mary onto the Corbin et al. v. County School Board of Pulaski, VA. et al. suit, he also faught for a higher quality of education for his children that was not limited by discriminatory practices of the Pulaski County School Board. Irene Holt Morrison was able to pass down her love for education onto her children, Kathleen and George Morrison by encouraging both of them to have an appreciation for reading. By asking her children, “if education weren’t so important, why did they work so hard to keep it from us?”, Irene embedded education into her two children's lives to lift them above barriers placed upon African Americans. Both George and Kathleen were able to obtain graduate-level degrees because of the importance placed on education by their mother and grandparents respectively.
Randall C. Holt Obituary
In 1960, Randall C. Holt passed away at the age of 70. His obituary was included in the quilt design to honor the legacy of Randall C. Holt, while also showing the many people that he felt were necessary to honor in his obituary. The many names listed that take up the bulk of the obituary text goes to show just how loved and appreciated he was. The family connection of the Holt family was close and strong as it was showed here in the obituary of Randall C. Holt as he acted in many ways as a glue that held that familial connection together.
Tree-Familial Connection
Spreading throughout the entire Holt family quilt block is a golden tree which stretches its branches to every side and corner of the block. Symbolizing the interconnectedness and continuity of the family's history from past ancestors to descendants of today, the tree highlights how older generations have influenced and helped the younger generations of the family. The Holt family was big, with many familial and local relationships and influence in Pulaski. As George Morrison describes, there was always an understanding in the family of “who you are, and whose you are,” creating a strong familial connection between the many different branches on the family tree. Throughout the many family reunions, gatherings, weddings, and funerals, the family was very present in each other's lives, while also being present in the community. The two bottom branches of the tree are embroidered with the names of Randall C. Holt and Elise Ann Holt, parents of the four children listed in the thinner branches that spread across the top of the tree. The tree symbolizes the familial connection between the parents and their four children, with each core value held by Elsie and Randall Holt traveling up the tree trunk into each value and moral system of the children embroidered on the higher but younger branches. Values such as education, hard work, and political involvement were passed down from those who came before Randall and Elsie Holt. This still has a lasting legacy on the descendants of the Holt family, such as George and Kathleen Morrison.
Elsie Ann Holt
Elsie Ann Holt was born Elsie Ann Hall on August 26, 1892, to parents Lewis Hall & Lucy Bateman in Pulaski County, Virginia. Elsie married Randall C. Holt and would go on to have four children. By 1920, the couple bought their home on Dora Highway in Pulaski, down the road from Randall's job. Throughout most of her married life, she did not have a formal job and would primarily act as a stay-at-home mom to care for the children. By 1940, she was working as a private homemaker for other households as an extra source of income to support the family after the likely layoff of Randall C. Holt. Contributing both in and out of the family home in terms of work, Elsie Ann Holt was a vital member of her family as the mother of four children who advocated for her children to obtain an education and live fruitful lives.
Rake and Greens
In the 1940 census, Randall C. Holt was listed as a self-employed farmer who owned his land. The label of farming in Randall's career was a stark difference from the other census records and documents that listed his occupation. With the closing of the company he worked for for around 20 years in 1930, it's more than likely thathe resorted to farming to make money for the family. Out of the need for a second income in the household, Randall made do with what he had by conducting farmwork on his land. Likely converting his home into a farm, Randall was a dedicated provider for his family. Specifically remembered by George Morrison was the presence of fruit and cherry trees on Randall’s property where he would then sell the fruit to local families in the area. To symbolize his work as a farmer, including line drawings of a cabbage and a rake onto the quilt design is meant to honor the hard work Randall C. Holt did while times were uncertain for the family.
Gladys Holt Sokolow
Gladys Holt Sokolow was born in 1932 in Pulaski County to parents Randall C. Holt and Elsie Ann Holt. Growing up, Gladys attended both Calfee Training School and Christiansburg Industrial Institute, in which she graduated from in 1953. After graduation, Gladys landed a teaching position in Pulaski. By the time Gladys had been teaching for a few years in Pulaski, she realized she was “unhappy with the system” and ended up leaving in April of 1959 to live in New York City, spending 42 years there working in a city library. In 2002, Gladys returned to Virginia by moving to Christiansburg to be closer to her family and siblings. Once she returned to Christiansburg, she quickly got involved with the Christiansburg Institute Alumni Association (CIAA) and the non profit organization, Christiansburg Institute, Inc. (CI Inc.).
Gladys G. Holt
Throughout Gladys Holt Sokolow’s life, her experience at school and education in general played a crucial role, which began with the importance of education stressed by her parents. Gladys attended both the Calfee Training School and the Christiansburg Institute. She remembered the commute to CI being at least an hour and a half each way on the bus, which brought up challenges that limited her educational and extracurricular opportunities due to so much time spent during the commute to and from school each day. Still, she was determined to receive her education and attend CI and therefore made the trip each morning despite its length.
Gladys G. Holt taken from 1953 Christiansburg Industrial Institute Yearbook