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Biography/History:
R. L. T. Smith was born December 19, 1902, in Duke, Hinds County, Mississippi. He was the son of James M. and Theresa Shuler Smith. Smith was named for his maternal grandfather, Robert Shuler, a former slave who purchased land during Reconstruction and became a successful farmer. Smith married Annie Louise Mason around 1924 and the couple had eleven children: Annie B., Mary Louise, Roberta, Robert, Jr., Edward Preston, Tresa Marie, Charles Albert, Gloria Ellen, Lawrence E., Royce M., and Jerelyn.
Because the public schools were segregated, Smith was educated at a local church school. After completing the eighth grade, he taught school in Copiah County for twenty-eight dollars a month and later in Quitman County for fifty dollars a month. Unable to support his family on this income, he moved to Jackson in 1925 to work for the United States Postal Service as a letter-carrier. Smith worked for the post office for thirty-three years before retiring in 1958.
After World War II, Smith and his son, Robert L. T., Jr., opened the Smith Supermarket in Jackson. He also operated a real-estate agency and acquired real-estate holdings in Jackson. In 1955, Smith co-founded the State Mutual Federal Savings and Loan Association with Jacob L. Reddix, president of Jackson State College (Jackson State University). State Mutual provided loans to African American churches, civic groups, and disadvantaged people. Smith served on the board of directors of State Mutual Federal Savings and Loan.
Smith was a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored people since its first Hinds County meeting in 1925. He was actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement in Jackson during the 1950s and 1960s, and became a close friend of Medgar Evers, Mississippi field secretary of the NAACP. In 1959, Smith and others filed a lawsuit to prevent the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission from allocating certain funds to the Citizens' Councils of America, and he unsuccessfully challenged incumbent United States Representative John Bell Williams in 1962.
When WLBT, a local television station, refused to sell Smith, a candidate for the 4th Congressional seat, prime (air) time to speak on behalf of his candidacy, Smith filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission citing discrimination on the part of the station. Smith, Aaron Henry (state president of the NAACP), and the United Church of Christ at Tougaloo filed a request with FCC to deny license renewal of WLBT, because it had a history of excluding access from African Americans and of only presenting segregationist views.
Active in the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, Smith was an alternate with the group of delegates that failed to unseat the regular Mississippi delegation at the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Smith was one of the delegates who unseated the regular Mississippi delegation at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
Smith was a member of the board of directors of Mississippi Action for Progress, which was established in 1967 to monitor Head Start programs in Mississippi. He served on the MAP board from 1967 to 1991.
During his lifetime, Smith served as pastor of three churches: Oak Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Learned, Hinds County, Mississippi; St. John Baptist Church in Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi; and Mt. Elam Missionary Baptist Church in Pearl, Rankin County, Mississippi. He was pastor of Oak Hill for more than fifty years and Mt. Elam for thirty-nine years.
Tougaloo College awarded Smith an honorary doctorate in 1980. The Mississippi Legislature passed a resolution commending Smith in 1985. The University of Mississippi inducted Smith into Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society, in 1987. On October 1, 1993, Smith died at the age of ninety.
Scope and Content
The Robert L. T. Smith papers consist of personal papers, congressional campaign papers which reflect his unsuccessful bid for the United States House of Representatives in 1962; essays and poems from the "Schuchelow Scribe", a name he claimed from the area of Mississippi where he grew up, miscellaneous papers, photographs, awards and certificates, artifacts, printed materials and audio cassette tapes.
Series and Sub-series Identification:
Sub-series 1: Biographical data, 1990.
This sub-series consists of a vita compiled by JoAnn Bomar, archivist, and an interview of R. L. T. Smith by John Dittmer and John Jones.Box 1
Sub-series 2: Poems and Essays, 1984-1990.This sub-series consists of poetry and essays dating from 1984-1990, that covers a variety of subjects, including family matters, politics and religion.
Smith wrote some of the poems under the name “Schulchelow Scribe.” Some essays comment on individuals such as Owen Cooper, a Yazoo County industrialist and one of the founders of Mississippi Action for Progress, Inc. (MAP).
Box 1
Sub-series 3: Personal Correspondence, 1960-1987; n.d.This sub-series consists of letters, tributes, greeting cards, funeral programs of Jacob L. Reddix, President of Jackson College and other family members and friends, clubs and citations, and the Agenda for Literary Participants.
Box 1
Sub-series 1: Conventions, Programs, and Business Meetings. 1957-1991.
This series consists of correspondence both general and specific. The specific correspondence is concerned with religious institutions, financial policy and key persons during the General Missionary Baptist Congress of Christian Education.
Box 1
Sub-series 2: Religious sermons, speeches and notes, 1957-1977; n.d.This sub-series consists of sermons, speeches and notes that were delivered by Reverend R. L .T. Smith during his church ministry.
Box 1
This sub-series consists of specific correspondence. The specific correspondence is concerned with business agreements and contractual agreements between local and state businesses.
Box 1
Sub-series 1: Correspondence and Documents (cont'd) 1932, 1972-1981, n. d.Also included are land deeds of trust and other contracts of sale, and copies of deeds.
Box 2
Sub-series 2: Real Estate and Tax Assessment, 1966-1970; n.d.This sub-series consists of tax assessment and real estate documents with receipts, monthly reports and financial statements.
Box 2
Sub-series 3: State Mutual and Loan Association, 1956-1975; n.d.This sub-series consists of facts and by-laws concerning the business of the State Mutual and Loan Association. It provided loans to African-American churches, civic groups, and the disadvantaged. One folder contains minutes for the board meetings and mailing lists of customers.
Box 2
Sub-series 4: Valley Street Service Station, 1963-1977; n.d.This sub-series consists of personal business papers, bank statements, debit slips and privilege tax receipts for Valley Street Service Station, Jackson, Hinds County Mississippi.
Box 2
Sub-series 5: Smith Super Market, 1965-1972; n d.This sub-series consists of the Smith Super Market business that was composed by R. L. T. Smith in his handwriting. Two folders contain a time book for employees of the Smith Super Market and a ledger with figures on real estate holdings and evaluations.
Box 2
Sub-series 1: Political Affiliation, 1959-1989; n.d.
This sub-series consists of campaign papers during Smith's political career. Press releases addressing issues such as civil rights, communism and Smith's response to other legislative bills are contained in some folders. One folder contains the Complaint Petition before the Federal Communication Commission regarding application of the Broadcasts Telecasting Agreement. Of particular interest is a copy of a speech delivered by Medgar Evers to the 1959 NAACP Convention.
Box 2
Sub-series 1: Political Affiliations (cont'd). 1962-1968; n.d.Also included is correspondence with regard to the Complaint Petition before the Federal Communications Commission and other political correspondence.
Box 3
Sub-series 2: Civil Rights Violence, 1954-1986; n.d.This sub-series consists of a list of Mississippi murders and trial dates of individual court appearances. This sub-series also contain folders with handwritten notes in reference to civil rights violence and the Pike County Bombing. Included also is specific correspondence in regards to civil rights violence.
Box 3
Sub-series 3: Political News Releases and Campaign Workers, Financial Contributions, 1956-1987; n.d.This sub-series contains instructions for campaign workers, time schedules, guidelines for delegate selection, financial contributions donated to R. L. T. Smith and highlights of the 1962 campaign.
Box 3
Sub-series 4: Campaign 1962, Campaign Speeches, Campaign Correspondence, 1961-1990; n.d.This sub-series contains Smith's announcement to run for the fourth congressional seat, specific correspondence concerning the campaign and speeches presented by the candidate.
Box 3
Sub-series 5: Campaign Financial Reports. 1962-1963; n.d.This sub-series includes financial statements, disbursements and campaign reports.
Box 3
Sub-series 6: Newspaper Articles. 1961-1985; n.d.This sub-series consists of news articles from area newspapers honoring R.L.T. Smith and some of his contributions to the community, state, and during his political career.
Box 4
Sub-series 1: Business and Correspondence, 1965-1990; n.d.
This sub-series consists of minutes of executive board meetings and fact sheets of membership organizations held by R. L. T. Smith. There are specific correspondence and newsletters contained in some folders.
Box 4
Sub-series 2: Community and City Organizations. 1962-1987; n.d.This sub-series consists of materials pertaining to community and city organizations. Folders consist of administrative papers, fiscal affairs, business meetings minutes and correspondence.
Box 4
Sub-series 3: Public Relations, Speeches, New Releases, 1962; n.d.This sub-series consists of community speeches presented by R. L. T. Smith and news releases concerning community organizations.
Box 5
Sub-series 1: Photographs-Personal, 1963-1976; n.d.
This sub-series is a collection of photographs and photograph album of R. L. T. Smith with family and friends. Photographs include those of Mrs. Ora Lee Lomax, grandchildren, and James Meredith's reception. Photographs from Smith's church congregation are included as well.
Box 6
Sub-series 2: Photographs-Religious/Church. 1960-1990, n. d.This sub-series is a collection of photographs with Reverend R. L. T. Smith and his church congregations. Photographs include those of Reverend Fred Blass preaching at the Mt. Elam M. B. Church and the congregation giving offerings in the collection basket.
Box 7
Sub-series 3: Photographs-Politicians and Political Events. 1962-1977; n.d.This sub-series is a collection of photographs of distinguished figures. Photographs include those of Medgar Evers, Emmitt Burns, Bill Waller and Vice- President Hurbert H. Humphrey, Dale Danks, Vice-President Walter Mondale of the United States. A photograph of Reverend Smith and campaign workers is also included.
Box 8
Sub-series 4: Badges and Membership cards. 1961-1979, n.d.This sub-series is a collection of many membership cards to various organizations and committees held by Reverend R. L. T. Smith. Membership cards include life membership in the NAACP, The Young Men's Christian Association, and National Association of Letter Carriers. Apollo postage stamp in honor of the Apollo space mission, valued at six cents is also included.
Box 9
Sub-series 5: Diplomas, Certificates and Flyers. 1958-1990; n.d.This sub-series is a collection of diplomas, achievement awards, certificates and other awards presented for personal and business achievements, and a collection of flyers used during Voter Registration rally and Rev. R. L. T. Smith candidacy for Congress.
Box 10
Sub-series 6: Resolutions, Banners and Citations. 1962-1983, n.d.This sub-series is a collection of citations, resolutions, and banners presented to R. L. T. Smith. The announcement for R. L. T. Smith to appear on Station WJTV is also included.
Box 11
Sub-series 7: Business Journal and Ledger, Poster. 1966, n.d.This sub-series is a collection consists of the sales journal for Smith Super Market and a poster of Valley Street Grocery Employee Appreciation Sale.
Box 12
Sub-series 8: Plaques and Trophies, 1972-1988; n.d.This sub-series is a collection of plaques and trophies presented to R. L. T. Smith for valuable service to community organizations and the NAACP.
Box 13
Box 14. 1973-1987.
This box contains cassette tapes containing sermon messages at the Mt. Elam M. B. Church, funeral services for Brother Roger Shoto and the Shoto Reunion at the Ramada Metro Hotel. A special sermon given by Minister A. Dillard is also included.Box 15. 1973-1989.
This box contains cassette tapes containing sermon messages that were presented by Rev. R. L. T. Smith at the Oak Hill M. B. church and messages from invited guest ministers during revival services.
Box 16. 1976-1980; n.d.This box contains cassette tapes that consists of church sermons from the Brown Hill, Pleasant Green, Pleasant Grove, Spring Hill Church, and Blair Street AME Zion churches. There is also a cassette from the Spring Hill/Jerusalem Association in Brandon, Mississippi.
Box 17. 1972-1998.This box contains political cassette tapes from the Democratic Convention, NAACP-Hazlehurst branch, NAACP-Brown Hill branch, sermons from the St. John M. B. Church, and Martin Luther King celebration at the Old Capitol building.