J. Griffen Greene (1910–1987) was an American educator. ^{[1] [2]}

Biography

Early life and family

Greene was born in 1910 in Montezuma, Georgia. ^[1] At the age of 12, he lost his right arm at the elbow. ^[1]

Greene graduated from Paine College, Augusta. He received his bachelor of arts degree from Knoxville College, 1993 and master of education from Atlanta University, 1946. He also studied at the University of Michigan, University of Florida Atlantic University. He served as high school principal at Statesboro High and Industrial School and in Florida as a supervising principal of St. Lucie County Schools.

He was married with Gladys Moore Greene, a school librarian librarian to she was a librarian at the University of Michigan, who died in 2013. ^{[2] [3]} Greene was the 1st black President of Daytona State College. ^{[4] [5]}

Career

During his career, Griffen served as a principal Lincoln Academy High School at Fort Pierce, Florida. ^[6]

In 1958, Greene was appointed president of Volusia County Junior College, one of 12 public junior colleges established in Florida for African-Americans, majority of which were established between 1957 and 1962 under the initiative started by Governor LeRoy Collins. ^{[2] [6]} By 1964, the college had served 5,600 students during his administration. ^[6] In 1965, the college amalgamated with Daytona State College, making him the first and only president of Volusia County Junior College prior to its merger. ^[6] After the merger, he served as dean at Daytona State College before leaving in 1973. ^[7] Greene later became an English and education professor at Bethune-Cookman College, working between 1973 and 1976. ^{[8] [9]} He died after he retired. ^[2]

He was a member of Stewart Memorial United Methodist Church, Daytona Beach, Alpha Phi Alpha and a Mason. ^{[2] [10]}

History

Greene’s grandfather, Amos Greene, was a slave in Greene County, GA on a plantation owned by Lemuel Daniel Greene, Sr., a descendant of Thomas “The Seagull” Green, Sr. who emigrated aboard the ship Speedwell and settled near the city of Petersburg, VA.

Awards and recognition

In 2001, was recognized in Great Floridians 2000 program by the Florida Department of State. ^{[6] [9]}

In 2021, as part of the Black History Month celebration, Daytona State College recognized his contributions to the community and renamed its center as J. Griffen Greene Center. ^[2]

References