William Henry Holtzclaw (1870–1943) was an educator and the founder of Utica Institute in Mississippi.

[2] The school became incorporated by the state of Mississippi as the Utica Normal and Industrial Institute for the Training of Colored Young Men and Women and taught both academic subjects and also vocational work.

[2] Holtzclaw became principal of the school and worked on attracting funds, and received donations from Andrew Carnegie.

He wrote directly to Booker T. Washington asking for and receiving admission to Tuskegee Institute.

He was married to educator Mary Ella Patterson who he met at Tuskegee and they had three sons and two daughters.