G. Holmes Braddock

Grover Holmes Braddock (July 23, 1925 – July 24, 2025) was an American politician who served on the Miami-Dade County Public School Board from 1962 until 2000. As the school board's chairman in 1969 and 1970, he was instrumental in the desegregation of the county school system, particularly through his advocacy for busing.

Early life and education Grover Holmes Braddock was born on July 23, 1925, in Forsyth, Georgia. Throughout his life, he went by his middle name Holmes. When Braddock was 6, he and his family moved to Sebastian, Florida, at that time a rural town. Braddock was raised as a traditional Southerner and held conservative views on race and segregation in his youth, though his views began to liberalize at the age of 20. His mother, a schoolteacher, was a staunch segregationist. Braddock was bused 16 miles to an all-white school, passing an all-black school along the way.

In 1946, Braddock enrolled at the University of Miami. He was a member of the Iron Arrow Honor Society and was the sports editor for the student newspaper The Miami Hurricane. Braddock was an avid and recognized fan of Miami Hurricanes football, missing just 12 home games between 1946 and 2015. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1949. Braddock continued his education at the university using the G.I. Bill, graduating with a master's degree in human relations in 1953. During this period, he was also the manager of the students' union and a recruiter for the university. After graduating, Braddock was the manager of the Miami Shores Country Club. He later became a licensed insurance agent, specializing in life, health, and pension insurance. Braddock was elected to the Miami-Dade County Public School Board in 1962. Throughout his tenure, he was an advocate for bilingual education, collective bargaining for teachers, school voucher programs, and corporal punishment.

Braddock served one term as the chairman of the school board from 1969 to 1970. In this role, he was instrumental in desegregating the county school system.

For his outspokenness on desegregation, Braddock received national media attention and was invited to speak at a Congressional subcommittee. Ruth died in 2024. In 1986, Braddock married his second wife Virginia. They had no children. Braddock was a member of the United Methodist Church in Kendall.

Braddock died on July 24, 2025, one day after his 100th birthday. He was eulogized by MDCPS superintendent José Dotres and Dotres' predecessor Alberto M. Carvalho, with the latter stating that Braddock "shaped the futures of millions of students" and that he was "a champion for education [and] equity".