Lucy Harth Smith was an American teacher and administrator. She lectured throughout the nation in an effort to make blacks more aware of their heritage, inspiring them to look to their past for hope in black achievements and contributions to civilization and history.
Background
He was born on January 24, 1888 in Roanoke, Virginia, United States, the daughter of Rachel Emma Brockington and Daniel Washington Harth, Jr. Her father, who was educated as both a lawyer and a minister (he had two degrees from Howard University), was a Methodist pastor at the time of her birth.
Education
After attending grade school in Roanoke, Lucy studied for one year at Princess Ann Academy (Morgan College Annex) in Lynchburg, Virginia. In 1904 Harth entered Hampton Institute, where she completed her high school and college education in four years. While at Hampton she won prizes in speaking contests.
In 1932 she received the A. B. , magna cum laude, from Kentucky State College in Frankfort. The University of Cincinnati awarded her the M. Ed. in 1943 for a thesis on the life, work, and influence of George Washington Carver.
Career
Upon graduation from Hampton's normal department in 1908, Smith taught elementary school in Roanoke.
In 1916 she and her husband moved to Lexington, Kentucky, where Paul Smith had accepted a position as principal of the Booker T. Washington Elementary School. From 1917 to 1935 Smith was teacher and assistant principal in the same school. She became principal after her husband's transfer to Dunbar Trade School, also in Lexington, and retained the post until her death.
Smith was also active in community, state, and national service. On May 5, 1944, she organized the two-week summer Health Camp for Colored Children for undernourished and underprivileged children in central Kentucky. She arranged for private donations to support the camp during its first summer but the Community Chest of Lexington took over in 1945. She was president of the Lexington Teachers Association and the Kentucky Association of Colored Women. Smith served on the Kentucky Governor's Committee on Youth and Children and on the executive board of the Kentucky Interracial Council. She was chairwoman of the executive board of the National Association of Colored Women's clubs and regional vice-president and trustee of the American Teachers Association.
One of her addresses on black musicians and their music was published in the Journal of Negro History (1935). She died in Lexington, Kentucky, United States.
Achievements
Connections
On June 1, 1910, she married Paul Smith and resigned her teaching position; they had five children.