Charles Z. Smith
|
The Honorable Charles Z. Smith |
|
|---|---|
| Justice of the Washington Supreme Court | |
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In office 1988 – 2002 |
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| Nominated by | Booth Gardner |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
February 23, 1927 Lakeland, Florida |
| Died | August 28, 2016 (aged 89) Seattle, Washington |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse(s) | Eleanor M. Smith |
| Residence | Seattle, Washington |
| Alma mater |
Florida A&M University Temple University University of Washington |
| Occupation |
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Charles Z. Smith (February 23, 1927 – August 28, 2016) was an American judge who served as a Washington State Supreme Court Justice from 1988 to 2002. He was the first person of color and the only African American to hold the position.
Smith was born in Lakeland, Florida. His father, John R. Smith, was a Cuban immigrant, and his mother, Eva Love Smith, was an African American whose grandparents were former slaves. Smith was one of eight siblings. During his childhood, he lived in Franklin, North Carolina; Lakeland; and Maitland, Florida.
As a teenager, one of Smith's mentors was William H. Gray Jr., then president of historically black college Florida Normal College. Gray housed Smith and helped him enroll at the college. When Florida state regents fired Gray for refusing to ban black students from all-white colleges, he moved with his family and Smith to Philadelphia. While living in Philadelphia, Smith met Martin Luther King Jr.
Smith attended Temple University until he joined the US Army at age 18 in 1945 despite Gray's wishes. Smith served in the US Air Force and became a military court reporter until 1946. After Smith left the military, Gray encouraged Smith to study law. Smith went on to earn his B.S. from Temple University in 1952. The same year, Smith visited his mother in Seattle and had a chance to show his transcript to the associate dean of University of Washington School of Law. The associate dean immediately admitted Smith to the school. Smith was one of four students of color in his law school of 120 students. He was the only African American in his graduating class in 1955.
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