YMI Cultural Center to Benefit from Holt Endowment

Holt family members present Endowment to YMI Cultural Center. From left to right: Dr. Holt’s brother, Cecil Holt; Dr. Holt’s son, Cecil; wife, Mrs. Annye Holt; daughter, Jacquelyn; and Dr Holt’s eldest son, Dr. John Holt, Jr. Back row: Chairman of the YMI Executive Board Barbara Field, and Harry Harrison, Executive Director of the YMI Cultural Center. Other family and relatives of the Holt family in the background.

A collector of African arts and artifacts, Dr. John P. Holt, Sr. in his passing has established an endowment to benefit the YMI Cultural Center.

The Holt Endowment for the Arts will be a permanent endowment to serve the purpose of advanced training and promoting the public’s knowledge of the arts, one of Holt’s passions. The Board of Directors of the endowment’s Foundation is to include two members of his family, who will invest the fund principal and make payouts from its earnings.

Born and raised in Asheville, John P. Holt graduated from Stephens-Lee High School in 1937. After completing his studies at Morgan State College and Brown University, Holt received his medical degree from the Meharry Medical College, in Nashville, TN. He began a private family practice in 1960, and was one of two African American physicians practicing medicine in Asheville at that time. Dr. Holt was the first African-American member of the Buncombe County Medical Society, and championed efforts to increase minority enrollment at the UNC-Chapel Hill Medical School. Professionally, Dr. Holt worked tirelessly, and turned absolutely no one away who needed medical assistance, and served his patients until his retirement in April of this year.

Civically, Dr. Holt dedicated over 45 years serving the
Asheville community in positions that give voice to the
African-American community. Some notable affiliations were: Asheville
City Board of Education, Asheville Chamber of Commerce, Asheville
Housing Authority, and the former Human Rights Commission. He received
the Distinguished Service Award for Lifetime Achievement given by the
Asheville-Buncombe Community Relations Council in 2004.

The family has asked that memorial contributions be sent to the YMI
Cultural Center, 39 S. Market St., Asheville, NC 28801. Contributions
earmarked for the YMI can also be received at the Bank of Asheville
(account #0140038266).

Alternatively, donations may be made to Hopkins
Chapel AME Zion Church, 21 College Place, Asheville, NC 28801, where
Dr. Holt was a long-time dedicated member.

The public, and corporations who support these goals, may contribute
additional assets as well. For more information, contact Harry
Harrison, YMI Cultural Center Executive Director at: (828) 252-4614.