During his more than five years at CNN, Holmes reported on the scene of numerous major events, including the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shootings; the 10th anniversary of 9/11, which he anchored from Ground Zero; the multiple tornadoes that devastated Joplin, Missouri, in May 2011; the historic first papal visit to the United States of Pope Benedict XIV in 2008; and the Hudson River crash landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in January 2009, for which he secured some of the first stories from the survivors. His contributions to CNN's 2010 coverage of the Gulf Oil Spill and the 2008 Presidential primary campaigns helped the network garner Peabody Awards for both.

Holmes has anchored significant news stories and led public discourse on issues including Saddam Hussein's execution in 2006, the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India in 2008 and at Glasgow Airport in 2007. Holmes' last day reporting for CNN was on Christmas Day of 2011 as he began to prepare for the next chapter in his career.

In October 2012, he signed a multi-platform deal to host a new late-night hybrid talk show, DON'T SLEEP!, which laid an inspiring foundation for thought-provoking programs for African-American interests and righteously earned him an NAACP Image Award Nomination shortly after its premiere. Holmes delivered smart, biting social commentary on significant issues and hosted a distinguished panel of thought leaders and correspondents from various disciplines in an exchange regarding headlines that affect the community.

Holmes is a graduate of the University of Arkansas. Prior to CNN, he worked as a news anchor at NBC11 in the San Francisco Bay Area and served as a weekend anchor and reporter at KTHV in Little Rock, Arkansas. He started his career at KSNF in Joplin, Missouri. He now serves as member of the chancellor's board of advisors at the University of Arkansas and is also on the board of visitors at Emory University in Atlanta.

T.J. Holmes is also a member of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta and the National Association of Black Journalists and was named to The Grio's "100 List of History Makers" and The Root's "100 List of Influential African Americans." Read Less ^