Kenneth B. Smith

The Rev. Kenneth B. Smith Sr.

Kenneth Bryant Smith Sr. (February 19, 1931 – January 21, 2008) was a Chicago-area community leader and minister.

Smith was born in Montclair, New Jersey and raised as a Catholic.[1] After earning a bachelor's degree at Virginia Union University in 1953 and a master's degree from Drew University in 1954, he came to Chicago in the late 1950s to attend Bethany Theological Seminary, then located outside the city.[2] He was ordained by the United Church of Christ and began his career as an associate pastor at the Congregational Church of Park Manor.[citation needed] From there, he founded the Trinity United Church of Christ, before pastoring long-term at Church of the Good Shepherd in Washington Park.[citation needed]

From 1979 to 1982,[citation needed] he was a member of the Chicago Board of Education. On May 16, 1980, only eight months after he joined the board, the members of the board elected him to a one-year term as the board's president. He was the first black person to hold the office since it was created in 1840.[3] Smith ultimately declined to seek reelection by the board to its presidency in 1981.[4]

From 1984 to 1999 he served as president of Chicago Theological Seminary.[citation needed]

In 1996, he received the Chicago History Museum "Making History Award" for Distinction in Public Service.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ The Honorable Kenneth Smith, Sr. (The HistoryMakers A2000.036), interviewed by Julieanna L. Richardson, November 9, 2000, The HistoryMakers Digital Archive. Session 1, tape 2, story 6, Kenneth Smith talks about being raised Catholic
  2. ^ The Honorable Kenneth Smith, Sr., The HistoryMakers. Accessed July 21, 2015. "The Reverend Dr. Kenneth B. Smith, Sr. was born in Montclair, New Jersey, on February 19, 1931."
  3. ^ Banas, Casey (17 May 1980). "Finances, unity are key issues: Smith". Newspapers.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  4. ^ Banas, Casey (9 May 1981). "Smith sees Brandzel as school board chief". Newspapers.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2 August 2021.

Sources