Loren E. Monroe

Loren Eugene Monroe Sr. (April 5, 1932 – May 29, 2019) was the first African American Michigan State Treasurer.

Early life and education Loren E. Monroe was born in Hillsborough County, Florida on April 5, 1932 to parents Eugene and Leona Monroe. Shortly after Loren's birth, the family moved to Thomasville, Georgia. In 1949, he graduated from Frederick Douglass High School in Thomasville. In 1953, Loren was drafted into the United States Army, serving in the Korean War. In the army, he worked as a Morse code interceptor. In 1955, Loren was honorably discharged. From there, Loren and Loreana moved to Detroit. In 1958, Loren earned a B.A. in accounting from Wayne State University. In 1970, Loren earned a J.D., and in 1980 earned a LL.M. from the same university.

Legacy In 2013, in the third edition of the book Black Firsts: 4,000 Ground-Breaking and Pioneering Historical Events, Monroe's achievement of being the first African-American Michigan State Treasurer is listed, and he is placed in a list of the "100 Most Influential Black Americans.”