[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 10 (Thursday, January 18, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E62-E63]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF NORMAN RAYMOND SMITH

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TROY A. CARTER

                              of louisiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 18, 2024

  Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor the life 
of Norman Raymond Smith, Executive Director of Harmony House Senior 
Center, the Treme Community Education Program, an agency of the New 
Orleans Council on Aging. He was the son of the late Yvonne and Matthew 
Smith, Sr., born on November 17, 1944, in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 
the Historic Treme Community, located in the district I represent. Mr. 
Smith passed away on Sunday, January 14, 2024.
  Mr. Smith and his family, Roman Catholics, attended St. Peter Claver 
Catholic Church. The Mass was conducted in Latin which Smith could not 
understand, but he enjoyed the Gregorian chants and the singing of 
standard Black Catholic Church Hymns. He sometimes visited other 
churches with friends, which had very powerful Treme voices accompanied 
by piano and sometimes guitar or drums. In his adult life, Norman 
joined Saint Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, where he served as an 
Usher.
  As a youth living in the Historic Treme, he attended Joseph A. Craig 
Elementary School, graduated from Joseph S. Clark Senior High School, 
and received his associate degree in Mortuary Science from the 
Commonwealth College of Science in Houston, Texas, becoming a licensed 
Mortician.
  As a child, some of the first stories Smith heard were of family 
members from generations past. He knew that his father had been in the 
military, along with his grandfather and great-grandfather. In fact, 
his mother's great-grandfather had served in the War of 1812, and her 
great-uncle had fought in the 9th Cavalry Heavy Artillery in the Civil 
War. Their stories fascinated Norman. Soon after finishing his 
training, he was drafted into the Army where he was to serve as a 
telephone technician, arriving in Vietnam and transferred to work as an 
identification specialist, and later he was tasked with preparing 
fallen heroes for return home to their families. After Smith returned 
from Vietnam, he worked as a funeral escort stationed at Oakland Army 
Base. His military service included serving as a United States Army 
Sergeant, Quarter Master Corporal, and was a Purple Heart Recipient, 
though never receiving his Medal of Honor. He was honorably discharged 
in 1969. He was also a member of the Veterans of Foreign War, following 
his service in the Vietnam War, a member of the American Legion Post 
500, and the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 15.
  He returned to New Orleans and began working at Charbonnet-Labat 
Funeral Home, also working at several other funeral homes in the city. 
His passion to see his community uplifted led to his ultimate 
involvement in community politics. His life as a community activist 
started to take shape. He attended the inaugural class at the Institute 
of Politics at Loyola University. Norman also served as a delegate to 
the Democratic National Convention, electing President Jimmy Carter. 
Norman was instrumental in helping to elect countless men and women to 
state, local, and national offices.
  Education was always very important to Norman, so at the age of 50, 
he returned to Southern University at New Orleans and earned a Bachelor 
of Arts, BA in History. Norman worked as an Education Specialist at the 
State Department of Education under Superintendent Kelly Nix, serving 
Veterans across the State of Louisiana. His departure from the 
Department of Education led him to follow his dream of creating 
calendars like the one he read as a child at Joseph A. Craig School, 
Norman Rockwell. He began what would eventually add up to nine years of 
research on historical Black figures from Louisiana under the title 
``Etches of Ebony Louisiana'', dedicating the rest of his life to 
researching and educating his community in the contributions of Black 
people born in Louisiana. In 1983 he published his first calendar.
  An active resident of New Orleans until his passing, Norman was a 
renowned Culture Bearer, Treme's Drummer, Photographer, member of 
Joseph S. Clark Alumni Association, Knights of Peter Claver Tommy Lafon 
Chapter 214, Loyola Institute of Politics, Amistad Research Center, 
Southern University New Orleans Alumni Association, Officer/Member, New 
Orleans Embalmers Association, Crescent City Funeral Directors and 
Morticians Association, Louisiana Funeral Directors and Morticians 
Association, Louisiana Black History Historian, Political Strategist 
and President of Treme Improvement Political Society (T.I.P.S.), and 
past member of the Upper Pontabla Board of Directors. He was also the 
Author and Publisher of ``Footprints of Black Louisiana''.
  Norman was the proud father of two sons, Corey Norman Smith (Heather) 
and Christopher Jude Smith, born from his marriage to Joyce Singleton 
Smith. He was the loving grandfather of Sterling and Sydnei Smith, and 
Taylor Hampton; great-grandfather of Ava Rose and Dallon Steen, Jr., 
his sister Emelda Petit. Norman is preceded in death by siblings Emma 
Smith Brown, Matthew Smith, Jr., Anthony Smith, Verdelle Smith Johnson, 
Isabelle Smith, and Paulette Smith Pate.
  He was one of those children who knew what he wanted to do at a young 
age. He wanted to be a historian. Specifically, he wanted to record and 
preserve Black history. As early as the fifth grade, Smith had the idea 
to make calendars that would bring to life the stories of Black 
historical figures. His goal was to share the many contributions Black 
people had made to American society, especially some who might be 
lesser known. ``The point was to do something positive,'' he explained. 
``So little Black kids like me could have something to look forward to. 
To look up to.'' He successfully fulfilled his dream.
  His impact on Greater New Orleans, especially the Treme Community 
will forever remain engraved in the lives he touched along the way. 
Rest well, my brother.

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