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Maxine Smith papers

 Collection
Identifier: AMN 1186

Dates

  • Creation: 1990-2010

Language of Materials

Materials are in English.

Biography - Dr. Maxine Smith

Born in Charleston, SC in 1944, Dr. Maxine Smith attended high school at Palmer Memorial Institute (Sedalia, NC) and later recieved her B.A. in English from Hampton University. Following this, she recieved her M.A from Atlanta University and an Ed.D from South Carolina State University-Orangeburg in Educational Administration and Supervision. From a young age, Dr. Smith believed that academic preparation was one of the key traits in finding success. This is a virtue that was inherited from her parents, Henry and Emily Smith. Her professional career is interwoven with her varied experience in education, public relations, community affairs, and fundraising. Dr. Smith has a wide range of occupational credentials under her belt. This includes several teaching and administrative positions at Ashley Hall School, Charleston County Schools, Trident Technical College, the College of Charleston, Charleston Southern University, and Atlanta Universtity. In 1998, Dr. Smith was appointed as President/CEO of the Trident Urban League, Inc, which is a local branch for the prestigious, National Urban League. Estabilished in 1910, the National Urban League's purpose was to create industrial opportunities for African Americans and to aid those migrating from the southern United States. Dr. Smith's activism and civil efforts extended during all of her various tenures in the lowcountry. She is known for her affiliations with Operation Understanding, the Lowcountry Children's Center, USC Institute for Families in Society, the South Carolina Links chapter, and the Mayor's Commission for Children, Youth, and Families. Additionally, while continuing to benefit others during her years of service, Dr. Smith spent much of her free time exploring her passion of writing. She wrote several informational pieces on the Cooper River Bridge, including a souveneir booklet(2005) for the inaguration of its replacement, the Ravenel Bridge. In 2021, she published "The Midnight Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina: The Henry Smith Story". This work highlights her father's importance in the city of Charleston, not only through her eyes, but through the eyes of family, friends, colleagues, and other members of the community. As Dr. Smith has stated on her own behalf, "I am driven to serve others who have not had the access to opportunities in life that were provided for me by my parents."

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Maxine Smith, a native of Charleston, received the high school diploma at Palmer Memorial Institute in Sedalia, NC; the bachelor’s degree in English at Hampton University (VA); the master’s degree in English at Atlanta University (GA) and the doctoral degree in educational administration and supervision at South Carolina State University (Orangeburg).

Maxine has been a teacher for the Charleston County School District (CCSD), Trident Technical College (TTC), Charleston Southern University and the College of Charleston.  She has also been an administrator for the College of Charleston, the American Cancer Society’s Best Chance Network Program, CCSD, Charleston’s Mayor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families and a former CEO of the Trident Urban League.  Since retiring from CCSD in the summer of 2005, Dr. Smith has focused on her consulting business.

She is owner of Maximum Consultants, LLC and focuses on introducing minority businesses and other entities to public relations and community outreach strategies.  Maximum's largest community engagement projects were the new Cooper River Bridge (Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge) in 2001-2005 and the Charleston County Half-Cents Sales Tax (SCDOT’s roads and highways 25-year project in 2007). Maximum is currently providing outreach services for SCDOT’s I-526 Lowcountry Corridor WEST project that will impact several neighborhoods in North Charleston. After the June 17, 2015 murders of nine members of Emanuel AME Church, Dr. Smith was the public relations liaison who handled communications with the media for families of the victims, survivors and church members.

Her involvement in volunteerism evolved during membership with The Links, Incorporated, comprised of 84 chapters across seven states and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. She joined The Charleston, SC Chapter of The Links, Incorporated in 1975 and became an alumna in 2016.  In the Southern Area, she formerly served as Communications/PR Chair, Awards and Recognition Committee Chair and was a member of the Executive Committee. Maxine is also a Diamond Life Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Awards and honors received by Maxine are too numerous to list and are included in her curriculum vitae (available upon request). 

She is the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Henry Smith (Emily), both Charleston natives. Maxine was married to Montez C. Martin, Jr. (1974 to 2001) and is the mother of Emily-Elise Martin and Montez C. Martin III.

In May of 2021, she published a book about her father titled – The Midnight Mayor of Charleston, SC | The Henry Smith Story (May 9, 1913 - April 13, 1995). Close to 1,500 copies of the book have been sold online or at book signing events.

Biography - Henry Wilmot Smith

A native of Charleston, Henry Wilmot Smith was born on May 9, 1913. He attended various public schools in Charleston during his adolescence. Well versed in the social aspects of everyday life, Mr. Smith not only helped others start and improve their local businesses, he also created his own trades. He made it a priority to serve and help Charlestonians of all races and cultural backgrounds. Blurring these cultural and political boundaries, he became a highly sought after confidant thoughout his lifetime. Henry Smith, along with his wife Emily, made contributions as entrepreneurs during the segregation era of America. Considering how much they accomplished with the resources they had, is a feat which demands admiration and a closer look. Mr. Smith died on April 13, 1995, and it is well known that his memorial service illustrated how well-loved he was in the community. His daughter, Dr. Maxine Smith, published a book about his life entitled "The Midnight Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina" (p.2021) which can be located at the Avery Research Center.

Biography - Emily Simmons Smith

Also a native of Charleston, Emily Jones Simmons (b. 1911), was a former graduate of the Avery Normal Institute, class of 1929. She proceeded by attending the Apex Beauty School in New York City and was among the first black beauty shop owners in the city of Charleston. Her sisters, Esther Simmons Fields and Edna Simmons Davenport were also graduates of the Avery Normal Institute. Mrs. Smith encouraged and led other women to build their own businesses. Her civic engagement and social affiliations were well represented during her memorial service in 1995.

Extent

.63 linear feet (2 Boxes) : 1 full holinger. 1 half holinger.

Acquisitions Information

Materials donated by Dr. Maxine Smith, 2010.

Processing Information

Funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation supported the processing of this collection and the creation of this finding aid.

Title
Inventory of
Description rules
Dacs
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Description is in English
Sponsor
Funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation supported the processing of this collection and the creation of this finding aid.

Repository Details

Part of the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture Repository

Contact:
125 Bull Street
Charleston South Carolina 29424 United States
843-953-7608