In 1957, Green was one of nine students to attend and desegregate the all-white Little Rock Central High School. The movement happened his senior year, shortly after the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Brown vs. Board of Education. 

“The first day that we went to school, we faced the Arkansas National Guard, we ended up with a riot outside of the school and President Eisenhower had to send in the 101st Airborne of the United States Army,” Green said. “I went to school my senior year with the federal government providing some protection.”

Green, harassed daily, faced violence from community members who didn't accept the court ruling.

“I thought that my generation could be a change agent for how black people got treated and that once I heard that this could be a lever to institute this change, I didn’t see any reason to go back,” Green said. “I grew up under Jim Crow, back of the bus, places, restaurants, movies and public accommodations you couldn’t go to."

When he saw the opportunity to change the situation, Green took it.

"If this was going to change the face of the South forever, I’m for it," Green said.

Green said that he never expected the events in Little Rock to become as significant as they did. All he was trying to do was go to the school and complete his education.

“When I indicated that I wanted to go to Central, all my friends said they wanted to be there with me,” Green said. “I found out when the moment of truth comes, you’re usually standing there alone. If it’s a big crowd around you, it’s not a difficult decision.”

In 1958, Green received an anonymous letter stating he had received a scholarship to attend MSU. He later found out the scholarship donor was none other than John A. Hannah, former MSU president and civil rights commission chairman at the university.       

“One of the things that I’m proudest about is my belief that going to Central was the right thing to do and the awarding of the scholarship reinforces that,” Green said.  

Green said he was bewildered by how big MSU's campus was when he first arrived. One of his most memorable memories was when Malcolm X came and spoke on campus. 

“I was president of the NAACP on campus and they had a fairly large African student group that was lead by the son of the first president of Nigeria,” Green said. “One of the things that we did jointly was we had Malcolm X to speak at the Education Colleges Rotunda."

Tonight — 61 years after the events in Little Rock — Green will lead MSU's 2018 Homecoming Parade.

“His determination and his courage in the face of an uncomfortable and hostile environment and to continue to pursue his dreams is really inspiring," Jessica Mussel, Homecoming committee member, said. "I think all of us can learn lessons about acceptance and about inclusivity and about never giving up for what you believe is right.”