ed ▁the ▁store . ▁ ▁John ▁C . ▁Holland ▁was ▁the ▁fifth ▁of ▁th ir teen ▁children . ▁His ▁father ▁encourag ed ▁his ▁sons ▁to ▁not ▁only ▁excel ▁at ▁school ▁and ▁help ▁with ▁the ▁family ▁business ▁but ▁also ▁to ▁work ▁at ▁an ▁after ▁school ▁job . ▁Holland ▁opt ed ▁to ▁sell ▁copies ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁newspaper ▁The ▁Hamilton ▁Spect ator ▁at ▁the ▁corner ▁of ▁King ▁and ▁James . ▁ ▁As ▁an ▁eleven - year - old ▁boy , ▁he ▁was ▁required ▁to ▁defend ▁his ▁corner ▁daily ▁against ▁enc ro achment ▁from ▁other ▁news bo ys , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁here ▁that ▁he ▁suffered ▁his ▁first ▁t ast es ▁of ▁ra cial ▁disc rim ination ▁but ▁also ▁developed ▁a ▁strong ▁belief ▁in ▁a ▁higher ▁power ▁and ▁a ▁commit ment ▁to ▁his ▁church ▁and ▁his ▁community . ▁ ▁Career ▁John ▁was ▁considered ▁the ▁scholar ▁of ▁the ▁Holland ▁family , ▁and ▁he ▁resolved ▁at ▁a ▁young ▁age ▁to ▁attend ▁university ▁and ▁study ▁for ▁the ▁min istry . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁he ▁married ▁Joseph ine ▁I den ia ▁Johnson ▁of ▁Oak ville , ▁and ▁the ▁couple ▁strugg led ▁to ▁ear n ▁enough ▁money ▁to ▁send ▁Holland ▁to ▁college . ▁Holland ▁worked ▁for ▁some ▁time ▁as ▁a ▁jan itor ▁and ▁wait er ▁at ▁West ing house ▁Electric , ▁and ▁though ▁he ▁was ▁well - lik ed ▁and ▁respect ed ▁by ▁the ▁execut ives ▁at ▁the ▁company , ▁he ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁advance ▁beyond ▁men ial ▁positions ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁race . ▁ ▁In ▁