Historian Dr. Jonathon Holloway made headlines three years ago when he became the first African American to serve as president of Rutgers University.

However, this week Holloway quit the $1 million position after overseeing the chaotic campus brought too much pressure. 

Holloway complained that his "family needs protection"

According to the New York Post, the outgoing college president made his decision public on Tuesday, saying, "I’ve moved the needle as far as I can move it."

"I haven’t talked about this until now … I don’t want to be in an environment where I need, where my family needs, protection. That's the part I didn’t bargain for,"  Holloway explained.

The Post noted that Holloway's departure was commented on in a statement issued by Rutgers Board of Governors Chair Amy Towers.

"Jonathan Holloway has led Rutgers with integrity, strong values and a commitment to service and civility while helping to steer the university through challenges facing higher education," Towers was quoted as saying.

"Dr. Holloway’s decision was his and his alone," the chairwoman continued before adding, "We respect it and thank Dr. Holloway for his passion and service."

College president slammed by Republican lawmakers

Holloway is expected to take a sabbatical during the  2025-2026 academic year which he will use to write a book about African-American history. After this, he will return to Rutgers as a professor.

Among the challenges that Holloway faced was the creation of an encampment by anti-Israel protesters following a deadly attack last fall by the terror group Hamas.

The New Jersey Monitor reported in May that Holloway was grilled by Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill over his decision to negotiate with demonstrators despite Jewish students complaining of anti-Semitic harassment.

North Carolina Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx at one point said, "Each of you should be ashamed of your decisions that allowed antisemitic encampments to endanger Jewish students."

"Mr. Schill and Dr. Holloway, you should be double ashamed for capitulating to the antisemitic rule breakers," the congresswoman declared.

Holloway: Protests were "not part of what I signed up for"

Holloway told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the protest "changed the way I occupied space on campus" and was "not part of what I signed up for."

"For me, it’s better to go out on my own terms than to be told to get out of here by somebody else," the academic stressed.

"And better for me to have time to finish the book I have been working on slowly but surely. And what a great state to leave the university in for another person. It just feels right," he concluded.