Delores Ann Petway Holmes was a key figure in school desegregation, later serving as an alderman for the 5th Ward from 2005 to 2017.
Significance: Born in 1937, she moved to Evanston in 1940 and lived in the heavily segregated 5th Ward. After graduating from the Chicago Teachers College, North Side (now known as Northeastern Illinois University), and starting her family with her husband, William ‘Bill’ Holmes, she got deeply involved with education in the community. In the late 1960s, she began volunteering at Evanston Head Start while her daughter, Kimberly, was enrolled there.
In 1970, Holmes took on the role of co-chair of the Ad-Hoc Committee of Concerned Black Parents and Citizens of District 65. Here she helped challenge the lack of Black representation on the school board, helped push for equality within the classroom, and fought for the integration of schools. In 1971, Holmes was made coordinator of parent activity for the entire Cook County Head Start Program. Holmes later ran Family Focus, an organization dedicated to helping parents through community-based programs.
While retiring from her work in 2002, she remained deeply involved with the community. Holmes began volunteering with the League of Women Voters, inspiring her to become the 5th ward’s alderwoman in 2005. Serving on City Council, she continued the fight for affordable housing and continued to advocate for parents and children in the community. Holmes served for three terms, retiring in 2017.
Completed by Brenna Large for the Evanston Women’s History Project