Maxine Smith: A Civil Rights Pioneer from Tennessee
By: Dr. Donna Artrip
Maxine Smith is known for her contributions to the Civil
Rights Movement. She was born in 1929 and graduated from
Booker T. Washington High School at the young age of 15. In
addition, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a
Master’s degree in French. However, she was denied
admission to the Memphis State University graduate program
in 1957 due to her race.
Despite the obstacles, Maxine Smith was determined to change
the laws and policies of segregation and discrimination. For
instance, she started to work for the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Memphis. She
ultimately became the Executive Secretary of the Memphis
Branch of the NAACP and became a significant political figure
that helped shape justice in the school systems in Memphis and
around the entire country.
Furthermore, in 1994 Maxine Smith was appointed by the
governor of Tennessee to the Board of Regents (the governing
body for public colleges and universities in the state). She
received several awards for her courageous efforts to eliminate
racism and improved the quality of education for all people of
color. She even received the prestigious Freedom Award by the
National Civil Rights Museum in 2003. Ultimately, she died in
the spring of 2013. In summary, Maxine Smith is a Civil
Rights icon known for her contributions to the Civil Rights
Movement.
Citation: http://crdl.usg.edu/collections/smithnaacp/?Welcome&Welcome