Born in 1946, Moses Thomas Greene hails from Clark’s Neck, a small rural town in eastern North Carolina. The father of four children, Greene says (though each chose to pursue different fields of work) all are good writers and either athletes or artists. Moses, II, is a dual graduate of Syracuse University and works as a public information officer in the Mayor’s Office in Washington, DC. Derek, his second son, is a graduate of Emporia State University in Emporia, KS and followed his father’s footsteps and teaches physical education at an elementary school in Florida. Kaliah, his only daughter, is a graduate of Temple University and now serves as an administrative assistant at St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue. Finally, Keith, his youngest son, is currently pursuing an education degree at Cortland University and plays football and lacrosse. Greene is also the grandfather of one grandson and two granddaughters.
   While he usually goes back to North Carolina at least once a year, his upbringing and connection to his southern traditions are never far from him. He was raised on a farm by his mother, Mary Ophelia, a hardworking, single woman who worked tirelessly to provide for Greene and his four siblings--Sandra, Jesse, Milly and Sally. His maternal grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Holliday, also lived with the family. All helped worked together to complete the physically demanding responsibilities of farm life during the week.
   Many of his approaches to life come from his childhood experiences. His favorite season is the fall because as a kid it represented a time when all farm work was complete. Winter is his least favorite because he had to cut wood every day to keep the house warm. His favorite childhood toy was a little red wagon that he would eventually employ as a tool to simplify farm work and aid in daily carrying “big jugs” of water. Of education, “...my earliest memory is of sitting on my mother’s knee in front of the fire of the wooden stove and hearing her read to me.” More than just storytime, Moses believes that his mother was stressing the need for him to “get his schooling”.
   Mr. Greene had a natural affinity for learning and a strong acumen for oration. He says he enjoyed going to Pitt County Training School (PCTS), a segregated school 27 miles from the three room, wood framed, tin roof house where the family resided. At an early age he also learned the importance of time and timeliness, because if he missed the bus he had to stay home, because his family did not own a car.
   Aside from his mother and maternal grandmother, Mr. Greene remarks about two adults who were very instrumental in his early years. The first was a “lady minister named Reverend Hall” of Jones Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church in Clark’s Neck. A traveling evangelist who played the piano, sang, and preached, she would take him with her as she traveled North Carolina churches in the country. From her, he learned not to be shy and how to speak publicly. The second was Mr. Melvin Roundtree, Greene’s English teacher at PCTS who was also a mentor and father-figure.
   When asked what his first paying job was, Moses said it was in North Carolina when he was about 7 years old. It was “handing tobacco to the looper” while working with his mother for $2.00 a day.
    In 1961, when Moses was just 14 years old, his mother suddenly died and he was brought to New York to live in Brooklyn with his mother’s oldest sister, Sallie, and her husband. On the same day as his arrival, Greene says he was “jumped” by a gang of about 20 guys and threatened his aunt and uncle to move back to North Carolina. Instead, they immediately decided to send him to live with his mother’s youngest sister and her husband who had just purchased a home on the Brentwood/Bay Shore border. Greene soon after became enrolled at Ross High School.
    Going to school in the North was a new experience for him. Moses loved to read, loved English, oration and drama. Whereas his passions for each were encouraged by his African American teachers in his segregated, small town school, his arrival to New York provided him with little such encouragement. He does remember, however, the profound impact one Brentwood High School English teacher had on him: Mr. Clem Stancik.
    Greene remembers, “He appreciated my writing ability and love for poetry”. Moses would later go on to say that Stancik and Mr. John Sherin, a social studies teacher, helped him to transition academically and would provide the inspiration for him to come back to work in and serve the students of the district he attended. While attending Brentwood High School, “Big Moe” also became very involved with sports. He played football, basketball and lacrosse and ran track.

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