The author's commitment to public service would lead to a series of firsts. He became the first African-American elected to public office in McDuffie County, Georgia when he was elected to the county's board of education. He would become the first African-American to sit on dozens of governing boards. He would eventually become chairman of Georgia's University System Board of Regents, presiding over the state's thirty-four colleges and universities. Today, in addition to teaching at Augusta State University, Greene serves as a director of the Georgia Council on Economic Education, conducts financial-planning workshops, and publishes articles on finance and economics.

Joseph Greene's triumph over poverty and adversity will inspire you to look at your own life and ask if you've done everything you can to pursue your own dreams, be the best you can be, and give back to your community.