Procter and Helen Green Scholarship Foundation, LLC was established in honor of the late Mr. Procter Green who was a retired business entrepreneur and his wife, Mrs. Helen Green his business partner.  They were owners of Green’s Studio, the first African American Photography Studio in Monroe, La. 

 

 Mr. and Mrs. Green have been married for 60 years until his death April 4, 2015.  They are wonderful parents of eight children, with fifteen grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

 

Mrs. Green is the third of six children born to the late Sidney and Maggie Walker of Minden, La.  The family moved to Monroe, La where she graduated from Monroe Colored High which is now Carroll High School.

 

Mrs. Green’s life was centered on her church, family and business.   Before moving her fellowship to Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, Mrs. Green was a faithful steward of the original Peter Rock Baptist Church serving as the Deaconess Secretary, church Treasure and Assistant Secretary.   She also fed the homeless in downtown Monroe on the weekends.  Mrs. Green was very active in the public school system and in the school activities of her children and grandchildren.  She served as the President and Secretary of the Parent Teacher Association and was a faithful Chaperone of the Carroll High School Band Parent Club and the dance team known as the Carrollettes.  She was an active member of the Eastern Star Organization.   Mrs. Green worked closely with her husband in the photography business as an artist.  She restored and color painted old black and white photos.  She is a loving mother and wife and was a faithful caregiver to her husband.

 

 

Mr. Green, who was 104 years of age at his death, was the only male out of five children born to the late Ervin & Lillie Green in Weleetka, Oklahoma.  He lost his mother at eight years of age.  After the death of his mother, the family moved to California.  With his father’s permission he quit school to help take care of his sisters.  Five years later, the family moved again to Homer, La.  Mr. Green is definitely special because he was born during the time when life was very challenging for African-Americans.  However, the wonderful God we serve allowed people of different races to have a positive impact on his life.

 

Mr. Green came to Monroe, La when he was in his twenties.  He went to a hotel downtown looking for work.  A Jewish man by the name of Albert Marx was the owner of the hotel and also a Landlord.  Mr. Marx told Mr. Green he was not hiring and went back into the hotel.  Even though Mr. Green was not hired, he decided to sweep the outside area of the hotel.  Mr. Marx then came out of the hotel and said “I told you I was not hiring”.  Mr. Green stated that he understood, but just wanted to sweep the area because it was needed.  Mr. Marx decided to hire Mr. Green and allowed him to live in one of his rental properties on Vicksburg Street.  Because of the integrity of Mr. Green, Mr. Marx later gave Mr. Green an opportunity to collect rent from the other tenants in the area.  

 

A few years later, Mr. Procter Green met and married Ms. Helen Walker on December 24, 1954 at his home on Vicksburg St.  Due to their Vicksburg resident being bought by the city to build what is presently the Monroe Civic Center, Mr. & Mrs. Green then moved to 203 Renwick St.  Little did they know, they would renew their “50th Wedding Anniversary” vows at the Monroe Civic Center which was the same location they were first married. 

 

After the move, Mr. and & Mrs. Green decided they wanted to build their own rental properties.  Mr. Marx called a local bank and recommended the bank to loan Mr. Green the money to build their properties.   Years later, Mr. Marx became ill and desired to give some of his rental properties to Mr. Green.  However, Mr. Green did not accept the properties because he felt Mr. Marx’s family would disagree and take the properties back.

 

Some years later, Mr. Green then met Mr. Murray who taught him all about the photography business.  Mr. & Mrs. Green travelled across Louisiana and sometimes to other states taking school photos and going door-to-door to residents and businesses to take pictures.  Mr. Green allowed his children to partnership in the business and taught the art of going door-to-door asking residents if they would like to have their picture taken.

 

 Mr. and Mrs. Green were not just prominent business owners, they wore many hats.  As Entrepreneurs, they owned a grocery store, café, hair salon and established the first African-American Photography Studio in Monroe, La.  Mr. Green was also a carpenter.   He built additional rooms to his home and did many odds and ends at his rental properties.   After 65 years in the photography business, Mr. Green retired.    

 

He was also an avid gardener who planted various fruits and vegetables.  His garden caught the attention of those who would pass by.  The tenants of Mr. and Mrs. Green saw them not only as landlords, but bankers as well.  Not only did they loan the tenants money, they also fed them when necessary and on holidays. 

 

Mr. and Mrs. Green enjoyed spending time with their children fishing, hunting, golf-putting, playing checkers, reciting poetry and having family picnics.  Even at the age of 103, Mr. Green could still win a game of checkers and recite poetry.  

 

Mr. and Mrs. Green come from a very humbling background and they do not think they accomplished much during their lifetime.  Their children think differently.  They were such an advocate of making sure their children had a higher education:  three are entrepreneurs, one has a Bachelor’s Degree, two have an Associate’s Degree, one with a Bachelor’s now pursuing her Master’s and another one with a Master’s about to complete his Doctorate Degree. 

 

Mr. and Mrs. Green’s love for their family was not just limited to their immediate children.  They became honorary parents to many children in the neighborhood.  In addition to raising eight children of their own, Mr. and Mrs. Green also reared two additional teenagers from the neighborhood due to family issues.      

 

Mr. and Mrs. Green were dedicated leaders in their church and community.  They used their home as collateral in order to build the original Peter Rock Baptist Church in which they served for over fifty years.  Mr. Green served as a faithful deacon and chairman of the board. 

 

Mr. and Mrs. Green are truly amazing.  What they have accomplished during their lifetime with limited education is unprecedented.   With God’s grace, they made it happen for themselves and their family and community.