[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 4892]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO REVEREND DR. EARNEST ANDREW SMITH

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                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 27, 2003

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, in commemoration of Black 
History Month, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the 
many accomplishments of distinguished African-Americans in 
Mississippi's Second Congressional District.
  Today I rise to pay tribute to Reverend Dr. Earnest Andrew Smith. Dr. 
Smith was born in Macon, Georgia on August 25, 1913. His family later 
moved to Birmingham where Dr. Smith began school. After finishing high 
school, Dr. Smith entered Rust College in Holy Springs, Mississippi 
where he graduated in 1937. Dr. Smith continued his education at 
Oberlin in Ohio and Hartford seminary Foundation in Hartford, 
Connecticut. Dr. Smith then began to take courses at Drew University 
and Gammon Seminary. He has received honorary degrees from Gammon 
Seminary and Lambuth College.
  Dr. Smith has many accomplishments. He has been the pastor of three 
churches as the parish minister, was principal of two high schools and 
was executive secretary of three different conference programs of 
Christian education.
  In 1957, Dr. Smith was appointed president of Rust College where he 
managed to keep the door open despite several efforts to close the 
school. Dr. Smith later served thirteen years as director of the human 
relations for the Board of church and Society. Upon retirement, Dr. 
Smith moved to Memphis, Tennessee until he and his wife moved to 
Benton, Mississippi.

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