, ▁gentle , ▁and ▁car ing ▁man ▁who ▁endeav ored ▁to ▁provide ▁support ▁and ▁guidance ▁to ▁anyone ▁who ▁sought ▁it . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁known ▁for ▁reaching ▁out ▁to ▁those ▁outside ▁the ▁church ▁who ▁were ▁struggling ▁with ▁pover ty ▁and ▁ra cial ▁disc rim ination . ▁Ray ▁Lewis ▁described ▁him ▁as ▁behav ing ▁as ▁though ▁he ▁had ▁a ▁responsibility ▁toward ▁every ▁person ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Hamilton . ▁ ▁Holland ▁could ▁be ▁persu as ive ▁when ▁necessary , ▁at ▁one ▁point ▁single - hand edly ▁convin cing ▁St el co ▁and ▁other ▁local ▁steel ▁mill s ▁to ▁change ▁their ▁policy ▁of ▁not ▁h iring ▁black s . ▁He ▁also ▁approached ▁Hamilton ' s ▁mayor ▁and ▁business ▁community ▁about ▁raising ▁funds ▁for ▁Stewart ▁Memorial , ▁and ▁secured ▁a ▁long - term ▁source ▁of ▁income ▁for ▁the ▁church ▁by ▁establish ing ▁a ▁month ly ▁Vis itor ' s ▁Night . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁Holland ▁was ▁named ▁Hamilton ' s ▁first ▁Cit izen ▁of ▁the ▁Year . ▁He ▁died ▁three ▁months ▁after ▁receiving ▁the ▁award . ▁ ▁Holland ▁was ▁post hum ously ▁induct ed ▁into ▁Hamilton ' s ▁Gallery ▁of ▁Dist inction ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁Journal ist ▁and ▁actress ▁N er ene ▁Virgin ▁is ▁Holland ' s ▁great - nie ce . ▁ ▁The ▁John ▁Christ ie ▁Holland ▁Awards ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁a ▁black ▁history ▁committee ▁was ▁conven ed ▁during ▁Hamilton ' s ▁ses qu ic ent enn ial ▁to ▁recognize ▁the