Jesse Scheckner
G. Holmes Braddock, a towering figure in South Florida education who served on the Miami-Dade County School Board for 38 years, died Thursday, just one day after he turned 100.
His death was confirmed by the School District.
Braddock’s tenure on the Board, from 1962 to 1996, spanned some of the most turbulent and transformative decades in Miami-Dade’s public school system.
He served as Chair during the 1969-70 school year, when the District undertook court-mandated desegregation efforts. During and after that critical period, Braddock also championed bilingual education, collective bargaining rights for public school employees and enhanced civic and student involvement in school governance.
He also advocated for programs allowing citizen input in athletics and pushed for the inclusion of a student representative on the School Board, a feature that continues today.
In 1989, the district named G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School in west Miami-Dade in his honor.
Braddock’s commitment to education was matched by a lifelong devotion to the University of Miami, where he enrolled as a journalism major in 1946 after serving aboard a World War II medic ship.
He served on the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame and Museum’s General Committee and Board of Directors, and held season tickets to the school’s football games from the mid-1940s onward.
In 2024, the Hall of Fame gave him the President’s Distinguished Service Award.
Braddock was born in Forsyth, Georgia, on July 23, 1925, but soon moved with his family to Indian River County where he grew up in the city of Sebastian, according to the Miami Herald. He graduated from Vero Beach High in 1942.
When it came time to enroll in college, he attended the alma mater of his mother, a teacher, at the University of Miami, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism before using the GI Bill to pursue his master’s degree in what he described to the Herald as “human relations.”
He had planned to celebrate his 100th birthday at the high school bearing his name, but had to cancel due to health issues. His life has been widely celebrated by educational leaders and community members who acknowledged his outsized role in shaping Miami-Dade’s public education system.
Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Jose Dotres said on X that he was “deeply saddened” by Braddock’s passing, whom he called “a true titan in education.”
“His legacy of dedication and service to our students and community will forever be remembered and cherished. Our thoughts are with his loved ones,” Dotres said.
Miami-Dade School Board Chair Mari Tere Rojas offered her condolences as well.
“For 38 years, he served with unwavering dedication, leading a lasting impact on our schools and community,” she wrote.
Monica Colucci, Vice Chair of the Miami-Dade School Board, posted a picture of herself and Braddock, who she said will be “greatly missed.”
“His dedication to education and our community will never be forgotten,” she said.
The Miami-Dade Democratic Party described Braddock as “an exceptional public servant who cared deeply about civil rights and public education.”
“His example is one every current and future (Miami-Dade Public Schools) School Board Member should follow. May his memory be a blessing,” the statement added.
School Board member Mary Blanco wrote on Facebook, “I am deeply saddened by the passing of G. Holmes Braddock, an inspiring figure in our community whose legacy in public education will be remembered for generations. My thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones during this time.”
Political strategist Vanessa Brito remembered being honored by Braddock in her senior year of high school, an occasion she called one of her “life’s greatest honors.”
“You showed us that public education can be justice. We’re better off because of you,” she said on X. “Rest in power, Mr. Braddock.”
The X account of G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School posted: “With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Mr. G. Holmes Braddock, who turned 100 yesterday. His profound impact on education and his enduring legacy are evident in every corner of our school. We honor his remarkable life and contributions.”
Memorial service details have not yet been announced.
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Editor’s note: This report was updated to correct a date.
One comment
Paul Passarelli
July 24, 2025 at 8:43 pm
the article states: “”Braddock was born in Forsyth, Georgia, on Jan. 23, 1925, but soon …”
yet it also states: “… died Thursday, just one day after he turned 100.”
So which is it?