Daytona commissioner’s father honored this month along with other pioneer Black presidents of Florida’s community colleges

BY JAMES HARPER
DAYTONA TIMES

Daytona Beach City Commissioner Cassandra Reynolds, along with her children and sister, were in Tallahassee this month to participate in a program honoring her late father, James Greene, who was one of the first Black presidents of a community college in Florida.

Stacey Reynolds-Carruth, Michael James Greene McLaughlin and Commissioner Cassandra Reynolds pose around a picture of James R. Greene at The Magnificent 12 Wall of Distinction located at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center. (COURTESY OF THE GREENE/REYNOLDS FAMILY)

The Black presidents were dubbed "The Magnificent 12.’’ The term was coined by former Florida A&M President Dr. Walter Smith, who chronicled the role of the colleges in his book by the same name.

The Association for Florida Colleges hosted a reception Feb. 1 for the employees and family members of 12 men to highlight the role the colleges played in the formation of the Florida College System.

In 1949, Florida encouraged local school boards to create junior colleges for Blacks and the nation’s first school was later opened in Pensacola. In the mid-1960s, Florida faced a period of desegregation and, as part of the state’s desegregation plan, the 12 junior colleges were merged with the newly created Florida community/junior college system.

Family of distinguished Florida educators

Greene was the president of Carver Junior College in Cocoa starting in 1960. Carver merged with Brevard Community College in 1964.

He moved his family to Daytona Beach where he worked at Volusia County Community College before joining the Bethune-Cookman College as Professor of Education and the director of the Teacher Internship Program until his passing in 1972.

Commissioner Reynolds said her family also was represented at the dedication by an uncle, James J. Gardener, who was married to their father’s sister, Gladys Greene Gardener.

James J. Gardener was the founding president of Suwannee River Junior College in Madison and later became a member of the Florida Board of Regents, the governing body for the State University System until 2001 when it was replaced by the Florida Board of Governors.

Recalling historic appointment

A reception was held at the Governor’s Mansion where Reynolds and other family members of the former presidents met Gov. Rick Scott. Joining Reynolds at the reception were her son and daughter Michael J.G. McLaughlin and Stacey Reynolds-Carruth along with her sister Dr. Valarie King.

"I am pleased that this part of Florida’s history continues to be recognized," Reynolds told the Daytona Times.

Reynolds’ father was the founding and only president of Carver Junior College. She was 11 years when her father was told he had the job.

"I remember answering the door, and I went to get my father, announcing that a White man was here to see him. Sometime later, I realized the man had been one of our greatest politicians – Gov. Leroy Collins, who reportedly led the dual Black/White junior college system to ease people into the acceptance and integration of the two," Reynolds recalled.

Also recognized by Chiles in 1991

In 1991, Gov. Lawton Chiles and his Cabinet recognized Greene and the other Black junior college presidents with a legislative ceremony and individual resolutions.

"It is very meaningful that the Wall of Distinction ceremony was held this year to further preserve the memory of Florida’s Black junior colleges and their presidents," Reynolds said.

As part of the program, photographs of all the presidents were put on a wall for all to see.

The other presidents honored were President Garrett T. Wiggins, Booker T. Washington Junior College; Perman E. Williams, Johnson Junior College; Brittion G. Sayles, Roosevelt Junior College; Calvin Washington, Rosenwald Junior College; John W. Rembert, Gibbs Junior College, St. Petersburg; Albert Williams, Collier-Blocker Junior College; William H. Jackson, Hampton Junior College; Leroy Floyd, Lincoln Junior College; William H. Harley, Jackson Junior College; and J. Griffin Greene, Volusia Junior College, which was located in Daytona Beach on Loomis behind Campbell Jr. High.

President and principal at the same time

Before becoming president at Carver Junior College in Cocoa, Greene was principal at Monroe High School. The junior college was set up on Monroe’s campus.

Greene served in both positions simultaneously, which Reynolds said had a major impact on her.

"It was longer work hours for Daddy – older people on campus in the evenings and more ‘pomp and circumstance’ activities I was subjected to," she said.

Reynolds said the college courses were offered at night and occasionally students who lived out of town would spend the night in their home because the hotels were segregated at the time.

Principal in Titusville, High Spring too

Greene, one of nine children, was raised on a farm outside of Gainesville. His father was a Methodist minister and farmer. His mother was a homemaker.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida A&M University and a master’s degree in School Administration and Supervision from Hampton Institute. He also was a principal at other schools in Florida before his assignment to Monroe High.

Those include principal positions at Douglas High School in High Springs and Gibson High School in Titusville.