Smith family

Radford Army Ammunition Plant symbol

Robert Smith was employed at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant, which began operations on April 5, 1941. The plant produced a variety of propellants and energetics to support war efforts in Europe and the Pacific Theater. When World War II ended, operations at the central plant were discontinued. However, with the Korean War and the Vietnam War, there was a renewed demand for the production of propellants. In modern history, the Radford Army Ammunition Plant is one of six government-owned, contractor-operated ammunition plants. Due to the historical lack of high-paying work opportunities for Black Americans, many accepted the hazardous working conditions to have access to higher pay.

Family Photo

Terry Smith (Richards Brother), Leatha Williamson, James Smith (Richards Brother)

Photos courtesy of Smith family

Richard Smith

Brother to Robert L. Smith Jr.

Photos courtesy of Smith family

WWII Soldier Medal

This was used to honor Robert L. Smith Sr. service in World War II. Robert Smith was a Private First Class in the war and worked under the Quartermaster Truck Company. During World War II, around one million Black Americans served in every United States armed forces branch. These soldiers faced discrimination from the U.S. military, as the Navy, Marine Corps, and Army segregated Black Americans into separate units from their white counterparts. Despite this, several prominent Black units emerged. The 332nd Fighter Group shot down 112 enemy planes during their 170 bomber escort missions, while the 761st Tank Battalion received special praise after their first action in France. Black Americans also served in critical roles throughout the Army, including as nurses, engineers, paratroopers, gunners, and truck drivers.

Named Participant List

The names of the Smith family members who signed onto the Corbin et al. v. County School Board of Pulaski County lawsuit.

Oscar Smith and Edith Smith, infants, by William A. Smith, their father and next friend,

Cross with Red Sash

The symbol of the cross with the Red Sash stitched onto the Smith family square honors Leatha Mae Smith’s role as a member of First Baptist Church on Magazine Street. There she served as a member of the usher board, a paster's aid, and a missionary. Leatha Mae's commitment to her faith, church, and community shows the strong family values of the Smith family such as community, faith, and service. Leatha Mae's role in the church reflects a long tradition of the Smith family as many members of the family were heavily involved in the their local church.

Named Participant List

The names of the Smith family members who signed onto the Corbin et al. v. County School Board of Pulaski County lawsuit.

Robert Smith, Jr., and Letha Mae Smith, infants, by Robert L. Smith, their father and next friend,

This image represents Robert Smith Jr.’s attendance at the Christiansburg Institute. The Freedmen's Bureau founded Christiansburg Institute in 1886–1887 to educate recently emancipated slaves. In 1896, Booker T. Washington became an advisor to the school. Before closing in 1966, Christiansburg Institute had students from 15 counties in its surrounding areas. Many of these students had to endure a long commute to attend the school, limiting their educational and extracurricular opportunities. Issues such as commute times, poor school conditions, and many more disparities led to the Corbin et. al v. County School Board of Pulaski County, VA, et. al (1947), which argued that separate but equal was indeed not equal. The case argued that Black schools, such as the Christiansburg Institute and the Calfee Training School, were unjustly underfunded and undermaintained by the Virginia County School Boards.

Picture of Christiansburg Institute

The Smith Family

The overarching theme of this quilt square is familial success. The family was often regarded as "Black royalty," admired for their talent, success, and commitment to excellence. The Smith family has two generations represented in the Corbin et. al v. County School Board of Pulaski County, VA, et. al (1947) and on the 23/54 quilt, with Oscar Smith, Edith Smith, William A. Smith, Robert Smith, Jr., Letha Mae Smith, and Robert L. Smith listed as plaintiffs in 1947. They were universally held in high esteem, with a reputation that left no room for criticism. The children and grandchildren in the family upheld this legacy via their own respective successes and achievements, whether these were academic, athletic, or social.

Fish

The fish symbolizes Robert Smith Jr.’s love for fishing. It was added to highlight this specific family member's hobbies. Fishing as a tradition has followed Black Americans since slavery, when enslaved people needed to fish to supplement their limited food supplies. Following emancipation, Black Americans in the South continued to fish, as Black people were pushed to the coastal areas after the Civil War. Fishing became a vital resource for Black families, allowing them to feed their households and earn an income. At one point, 90 percent of the commercial fishing industry in the Chesapeake Bay was employed and owned by African Americans; however, this number has significantly dwindled

First Baptist Church, Magazine Street

This is a picture of the First Baptist Church on Magazine Street in Pulaski, Virginia. The First Baptist Church on Magazine Street is a historically Black church that has served the Black community and the larger Pulaski community for generations. The church's work and legacy continues to flourish today in the Pulaski community. Leatha May Williamson and other members of the Smith family were members and heavily involved with this church.

Picture of James and Sharon Smith.

James Smith is the brother of Robert Jr., Terry, and Richard Smith. James attended Calfee, noting that his favorite Calfee teacher was Ms. Nettie G. Anderson. James and Rosa Sharon have three children: James Walter “J.W.” Smith Jr., Sherry Johnson of Dublin, Virginia, and Jeremy Smith (Bobbie) of Roanoke, Virginia. The Smiths still live in Pulaski, VA, to this day. In 2021, the First Methodist Church of Pulaski sponsored a classroom in the Harmon Learning Center at the Calfee Center in honor of James Smith as a way of recognizing and appreciating his 40+ years of service to the church.

Photos courtesy of Smith Family

Man in Construction Hat

This symbol highlights Robert Smith Jr.’s role as a foreman at Hercules Knox, a rare achievement for a Black man at that time. Despite a history in the construction field due to slavery, in the mid-1900s, many black construction workers faced severe discrimination in their field. Many Black Americans were denied access to loans or bonds, impacting their ability to lead and take on larger construction projects. In addition, Black Americans tended to be excluded from construction unions

Bernice Smith

Ms. Bernice Estelle Smith Ramey was born on March 27, 1953 in Pulaski, Virginia to Robert and Agnes Smith. Bernice attended school in Pulaski, Virginia and graduated from Pulaski County High School.

Photos courtesy of Smith family

Richard and Carolyn Smith

Born on September 24th, 1942, Richard Smith was one of 8 children to Robert Smith Sr. Richard Smith went to Rich Hill school in Allisonia and then went to school at Calfee. After Clafee, Richard went to CII from 8th to 10th grade and Pulaski High School from 11th to 12th grade. Richard was among the first 13 black students to attend Pulaski High School in September of 1960. Richard Smith was reluctant to begin school at PHS because he knew that he was not going to be able to play basketball like he did at CII at PHS due to racial discrimination against black student athletes even after desegregation.

Photos courtesy of Smith family

Carolyn Simms Smith was born on July 20th, 1944. She was a member of the children's choir at the First Baptist church when she was younger and is a current member of the church’s adult choir. After graduating from Calfee, she attended CII, where graduated in 1962. Carolyn and Richard both attended First Baptist Church, attended Calfee and CII, worked at the Radford Arsenal Plant for over 40 years together, and were heavily involved in their community and families. The two of them married in 1974 in the newer building of the First Baptist Church. The couple continues to be heavily involved in their community and in their faith, in which they “couldn’t do it without each other”.

Handicap Symbol with Wheelchair

Oscar Smith was an orderly in a hospital; we used this symbol to honor his career and highlight the compassion and dedication required for his work. Orderlies in hospitals tend to be lower-paid and lower-status positions. In the 1950s, hospital discrimination was rampant in the United States. This discrimination was evident in the denial of privileges to Black staff and the refusal to allow Black Americans to apply for nursing and residency training programs. Despite these barriers, Oscar Smith persevered in his position as an orderly, demonstrating resilience in the face of systemic discrimination.

Leatha Williamson

Leatha Mae Smith was born on July 7,1940 to Robert and Agnes Smith. At the time of the lawsuit she would have been 8 years old. She attended Christiansburg Industrial institute for her high school education and was a member of the first baptist church in Pulaski serving as a member of the usher board, pasters aid, and a missionary. She worked at Radford Arsenal in her adult years. She married Bernice Williamson in 1958 and together they had Rosa Williamson Wright.

Photos courtesy of Smith family

Choir

Leatha May Williamson was a part of the choir at the First Baptist Church on Magazine Street. Gospel music has played a pivotal role in the cultural heritage of Black Americans. Before Black gospel music, there was the category of Negro spirituals—religious folk songs associated with enslaved Black Americans. The shift from Negro spirituals to gospel music became evident in recorded music from the 1930s and 1940s. In Pulaski, there were a number of popular black local choir groups such as the Traveling Ten and Stars of Faith. These local choir groups made significant impact within Pulaski's black community as memories of singing in, or listening to these passionate and beautiful voices builded community bonds and a sense of pride and joy.

Police Badge

Joy Smith of the Smith family was a corrections and police officer in the Pulaski County area. The police badge symbolizes Joy’s contributions to law enforcement.

Pulaski High School Symbol

Robert Smith III (Tink), one of Robert Lee Smith Jr.'s sons, was inducted into the Pulaski County High School Hall of Fame, symbolizing the family’s dedication to educational endeavors and the Pulaski community. In 1960, the first Black students attended Pulaski High School. This process started in 1959 when 18 Black students applied to the state-appointed Pupil Placement Board, which determined whether their applications were strong enough to transfer them to white schools. Federal Judge Roby Thompson ruled that 14 Black students could attend Pulaski High School because there was no Black high school in Pulaski County. Thirteen students, including Richard Smith, enrolled and attended Pulaski High School in 1960

Torch

This symbol represents the athletic successes of the Smith family’s descendants, including Richard Smith, who played on an all-Black baseball team managed by Carolyn Smiths uncle, and Terry Smith, a standout basketball player nicknamed 'Helicopter' for his incredible jumping ability. Sports have played a significant role in African American history, serving as one of the first high-profile spaces where Black Americans could be recognized based on merit rather than race.

Caduceus

Oscar Smith's daughter Nina R. Smith graduated in 1980, successfully completing basic and advanced individual training in her military occupational specialty as a medical specialist in Texas and Missouri. Despite a history of segregation and sexism by the U.S. government, Black women have historically served their country during times of need. For example, during World War II, many African American women were turned down as candidates for the Women’s Army Corps. Those who were accepted still faced discrimination within the military. Black women in the Auxiliary Corps were placed in separate companies from white trainees, including segregated lodging, dining, and recreational areas.

Hammer

The hammer line drawing on the Smith family square was included to symbolize William Smith’s dedicated work in construction.