Charles Walter Greene (1849-1926) was the first teacher of agriculture at

Tuskegee Institute Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU), formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute, is a private, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama. It was founded on Independence Day in 1881 by the state legislature. The campus was de ...

and the second head of the Agriculture Department at Tuskegee. He was a graduate of

Hampton Institute Hampton University is a private, historically black, research university in Hampton, Virginia. Founded in 1868 as Hampton Agricultural and Industrial School, it was established by Black and White leaders of the American Missionary Association af ...

and classmate of

Booker T. Washington Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American c ...

. He took over as Tuskegee Institute's farm manager in June 1888. The school had mostly trained teachers up until then.

George Washington Carver George Washington Carver ( 1864 – January 5, 1943) was an American agricultural scientist and inventor who promoted alternative crops to cotton and methods to prevent soil depletion. He was one of the most prominent black scientists of the ea ...

was recruited to the Agriculture faculty in 1896. Greene was born in

Gatesville, North Carolina Gatesville is a town in Gates County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 321 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Gates County. History The area which presently encompasses Gatesville was originally known as Bennetts Creek ...

in 1849. Although several years older, Greene was a classmate, friend, and roommate of

at Hampton Institute. Each had a prominent role in the program for their graduation in 1875. Greene traveled to rural areas to talk about agricultural practices, preceding the development of extension services for Black farmers. Before the turn of the century, Washington instructed Greene to acquire property to develop a village area that would be entirely owned and operated by "Negroes" and demonstrate their capability and establish economic independence. The district was formally designated in 1901 and named Greenwood, entirely apart from the school. Following Washington's 1905 visit to Arkansas, Indian Territory and Oklahoma, and his speech in Tulsa suggesting the Tuskegee Greenwood District as an example of what he was recommending, Tulsa named its Negro-owned district

Greenwood Green wood is unseasoned wood. Greenwood or Green wood may also refer to: People * Greenwood (surname) Settlements Australia * Greenwood, Queensland, a locality in the Toowoomba Region * Greenwood, Western Australia, a suburb of Perth C ...

in 1906. In 1940, a plaque at Tuskegee Institute was unveiled to commemorate Greene's service. He wore a bowtie and glasses. William James Edwards was one of his students. William Henry Holtzclaw also studied under him before moving on to the printing department. Martin A. Menafee also worked on the farm. George Washington Carver was recruited to work in the Agriculture Department in 1896.

References

Tuskegee University faculty Hampton University alumni Academics from North Carolina 1849 births Date of death unknown People from Gatesville, North Carolina {{agriculture-stub