[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 37 (Tuesday, February 25, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E208-E209]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO REVEREND GEORGE WALKER SMITH

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SUSAN A. DAVIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 25, 2020

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise with admiration and 
respect to honor and remember the tremendous legacy of Reverend (Rev.) 
George Walker Smith, who passed away in San Diego on February 15, 2020 
at the age of 91.
  Rev. Smith was a champion for racial equality and one of the most 
impactful educators and civic leaders in San Diego's history.
  Rev. Smith was born on a plantation in Haynesville, Alabama in 1928. 
As the son of sharecroppers, he faced adversity early on in his life, 
as the local school he attended was segregated, substandard, and only 
offered schooling through the ninth grade. After noticing Smith's 
intellectual capacity, the plantation owner decided to send Smith to a 
nearby church-run school. Capitalizing on his educational momentum, 
Smith attended Knoxville College in Tennessee and later matriculated on 
to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary School.
  After completing Seminary School, Rev. Smith moved to San Diego with 
his wife, Elizabeth Irene, in 1956. Once in San Diego, Smith founded a 
Presbyterian church in Golden Hill. Smith's congregation, Christ United 
Presbyterian Church, later moved to 30th and Fir Street in South Park, 
which he led for decades.
  While in San Diego, Rev. Smith did not limit his talents to the 
pulpit. In 1963, Smith became San Diego's first elected black official, 
after winning a seat on the San Diego School Board. Smith went on to 
serve on the school board for 16 years and acted as the board's 
president a total of four times. Rev. Smith left an indelible impact on 
the school board in his leadership and successful efforts to recruit a 
diverse faculty, at a time when educators of color were few and far 
between.
  In 1970, Rev. Smith founded the ``Catfish Club,'' a weekly lunch 
meeting that would become a mainstay for discussions on civic issues, 
local politics, and social justice. The ``Catfish Club'' created a safe 
environment for multiple views and approaches, at a time when the 
country and city needed it the most.
  In 1976, he was elected president of the National School Boards 
Association. He also served on the National Advisory Commission on 
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the White House Committee 
on Education and the Arts, the California School Boards Association, 
the San Diego Community College District, and the San Diego Crime 
Commission. He was the first president of the Citizens Advisory Review 
Board, which monitored police practices in the city in the mid-1980s.
  As a Member and President of San Diego Unified School District, as 
well as President of the National School Board Association, Rev. Smith 
was the strongest voice for the achievement of all children. He was 
always probing the performance of students who would be first in their 
family to attend college. He believed strongly in accountability for 
all adults responsible for a path to opportunity for all young people. 
Although Rev. Smith retired from his church in 2000, he remained active 
and served as a mentor in the community.
  Rev. Smith is survived by his daughter, son, four grandchildren, and 
a great grandson.
  I was privileged to have the opportunity to personally witness and 
appreciate his drive to bring people together in order to create a 
better community. I always admired Rev. Smith's ability to keep 
education at the center of all he did; a wise and thoughtful approach.
  I valued our relationship as I looked to him as a mentor on becoming 
a member of the

[[Page E209]]

school board in 1983. It was always a personal pleasure to be in his 
company over the years. He always inspired me to go beyond expectations 
and do everything possible to make this world a better place. Engaging 
and demanding, Rev. Smith was a noble champion for justice.
  While San Diego has lost a giant, I believe that his life's work will 
serve as a legacy and example for future generations to come. Madam 
Speaker, I ask that you please join me in remembering and commemorating 
the great life of Rev. George Walker Smith.

                          ____________________