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Virginia Harrison "Jinks" Rogers Holton (October 21, 1925 – December 16, 2022) was an American public servant who was the First Lady of Virginia from 1970 to 1974. She was a strong supporter of civil rights and integration during her tenure in the role.

Early life and education

Holton was born Virginia Rogers in 1925 in Roanoke, Virginia, the daughter of Frank Waters Rogers and Anne Newton Jett Rogers. Her grandfather Rev. Robert Carter Jett was bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia. In 1942, she graduated from Stuart Hall School, and in 1946 she graduated from Wellesley College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French.

Career

In the late 1940s, Holton worked for two years in the Central Intelligence Group at the American Embassy in Brussels, Belgium. After returning from Belgium, she worked for two years at the Central Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C., reporting to James Jesus Angleton.

In November 1969, Governor-elect Holton and First Lady-designate Holton were guests of President Richard Nixon at the White House. In 1970, Holton became the First Lady of Virginia upon the election of her husband to the Governor's office. Holton and her husband made national headlines when, after moving to the Virginia Executive Mansion, they enrolled their children in Richmond Public Schools, which had recently been integrated.

As First Lady, Holton's primary causes included child nutrition and daycare programs, civil rights, and the integration of public schools. She also restored public tours of the Virginia Executive Mansion. In 1974, Holton led the first Virginia Conference on Reading. Holton moved with her family to northern Virginia in 1974, when her husband accepted a job as Richard Nixon's Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations.

After serving as First Lady, Holton was the founder of Northern Neck Court Appointed Special Advocates, a program that assists the court system in juvenile abuse cases. She was also an active volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. Holton also served as a co-founder and board member of Voices for Virginia's Children, and as the president of the Virginia Environmental Endowment.

In 1986, Holton was appointed as a trustee of Washington and Lee University, becoming the first woman to serve on the university's board. She remained on the board until 1995. Holton's other board service included serving as a trustee at the University of Virginia Medical School Foundation, the board of directors of Mount Vernon, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation board, and as a member of the University of Virginia Board of Visitors.

Personal life

In 1953, she married Linwood Holton. They were married for 67 years. They had four children, including Tayloe Loftus, Virginia Secretary of Education and Virginia First Lady Anne Holton, historian Woody Holton, and former U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, Dwight Holton.

Holton spoke four other languages, including French, German, Italian, and Russian.

Death

Holton died on December 16, 2022, in Irvington, Virginia at the age of 97. After her death, Holton's son-in-law, Senator Tim Kaine, delivered a tribute speech to her on the United States Senate floor.

References

1. Silverman, Ellie (2022-12-17). "Virginia Holton, Va. first lady who backed integration, dies at 97". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
2. ^ "School Integration: Two Virginia First Ladies Reminisce at Forum". www.jmu.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
3. Payne, Will (2015-08-31). Mark Warner the Dealmaker: From Business Success to the Business of Governing. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-62585-112-3.
4. ^ "Roanoke native, former Virginia first lady Jinks Holton dies at 97". Roanoke Times. 2022-12-16. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
5. Crass, Scott (2016-04-27). Statesmen and Mischief Makers: Volume Iii: Officeholders and Their Contributions to History from Kennedy to Reagan. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 978-1-5144-6975-0.
6. "Jett, Rt Rev. Robert Carter". World Biography. 1: 2434. 1948.
7. ^ "In Memoriam: Virginia Holton, former W&L trustee". The Columns. 2023-01-17. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
8. ^ "Congressional Record - January 3, 2023" (PDF). Congress.gov.
9. Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States. Federal Register Division, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration. 1971.
10. "Former Gov. A. Linwood Holton, a Republican whose actions helped break down racial barriers in the state, succumbs at 98". Richmond Free Press. November 4, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
11. Holton, Abner Linwood (2008). Opportunity Time. University of Virginia Press. ISBN 978-0-8139-2720-6.
12. ^ Rankin, Sarah (2022-12-16). "Former Virginia first lady 'Jinks' Holton dies at 97". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
13. Gamarekian, Barbara (May 31, 1982). "Capitol Pages: Witnesses to History". The New York Times. p. A8. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
14. Graham, Alli (2022-12-16). "Virginia 'Jinks' Holton, wife of former Virginia Gov. Linwood Holton Jr., dies at 97". WSLS. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
15. Gonzales, Donald J. (1991). The Rockefellers at Williamsburg: Backstage with the Founders, Restorers, and World-renowned Guests. EPM Publications. ISBN 978-0-939009-58-9.
16. "Former Virginia first lady 'Jinks' Holton dies at 97". The Virginian-Pilot. 2022-12-16. Retrieved 2023-10-02.

• 1925 births
• 2022 deaths
• First ladies and gentlemen of Virginia
• 21st-century American women
• People from Roanoke, Virginia
• 20th-century American women
• Wellesley College alumni