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{{Short description|American politician (1887–1953)}}
{{Infobox Senator
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Willis Smith
|name = Willis Smith
|image = Willissmith.JPG
|image = Willissmith.JPG
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|successor1 = [[Alton Lennon]]
|successor1 = [[Alton Lennon]]
|office2 = Member of the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]]
|office2 = Member of the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]]
|term2 = 1928-1932
|term2 = 1927-1932
|birth_date = {{birth date|1887|12|19}}
|birth_date = {{birth date|1887|12|19}}
|birth_place = [[Norfolk, Virginia]]
|birth_place = [[Norfolk, Virginia]], U.S.
|death_date = {{death date and age|1953|6|26|1887|12|19}}
|death_date = {{death date and age|1953|6|26|1887|12|19}}
|death_place = [[Bethesda, Maryland]]
|death_place = [[Bethesda, Maryland]], U.S.
|restingplace = [[Historic Oakwood Cemetery]], [[Raleigh, North Carolina]]
|restingplace = [[Historic Oakwood Cemetery]], [[Raleigh, North Carolina]]
|restingplacecoordinates =
|restingplacecoordinates =
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|committees =
|committees =
|portfolio =
|portfolio =
|religion = [[Methodism]]
|signature =
|signature =
|signature_alt=
|signature_alt=
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}}
}}


'''Willis Smith''' (December 19, 1887{{spaced ndash}}June 26, 1953) was a [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[United States Senate|U.S. senator]] from the state of [[North Carolina]] between 1950 and 1953.
'''Willis Smith''' (December 19, 1887{{spaced ndash}}June 26, 1953) was an American attorney and [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[United States Senate|U.S. senator]] from the state of [[North Carolina]] between 1950 and 1953.


==Early life and education==
==Early life and education==
Born in Norfolk Virginia, he moved to North Carolina before age 2. After graduating from Trinity College (now the undergraduate liberal arts college of [[Duke University]]) in 1910 and [[Duke University Law School]] in 1912, he became a practicing attorney—but interrupted his work to serve in the [[United States Army]] during [[World War I]]. In 1912, he founded the law firm that eventually became known as Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan (informally "Smith Anderson").<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smithlaw.com/sap.cfm?pn=olf&spn=fhfsheet |title=Smith Anderson: A History of Excellence |publisher=Smithlaw.com |date=2008-04-26 |accessdate=2012-12-07}}</ref>
Born in Norfolk Virginia, he moved to North Carolina before age 2. After graduating from Trinity College (now the undergraduate liberal arts college of [[Duke University]]) in 1910 and [[Duke University Law School]] in 1912, he became a practicing attorney—but interrupted his work to serve in the [[United States Army]] during [[World War I]]. In 1912, he founded the law firm that eventually became known as Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan (informally "Smith Anderson").<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smithlaw.com/sap.cfm?pn=olf&spn=fhfsheet |title=Smith Anderson: A History of Excellence |publisher=Smithlaw.com |date=2008-04-26 |access-date=2012-12-07 |archive-date=2012-03-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302012941/http://www.smithlaw.com/sap.cfm?pn=olf&spn=fhfsheet |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Each year, Duke University Law School gives the Willis Smith Award to the graduating law student based on some or all of the following factors: scholastic achievement, citizenship, need, North Carolina (Southern) roots, triumph over adversity, future plans (will the scholarship help a student pursue a public interest position in the coming year or years with the highest academic average in the class).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.law.duke.edu/alumni/news/classnotes |title=Duke Law Class Notes |publisher=Webcitation.org |date= |accessdate=2012-12-07 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5WGkmRf37?url=http://www.law.duke.edu/alumni/news/classnotes |archivedate=March 12, 2008 |df= }}</ref>


==Political career==
==Political career==
Smith served in the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]] from 1928 to 1932, and was briefly the [[Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives|speaker]] of that body in 1931.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=S000639 |title=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress |publisher=Bioguide.congress.gov |date=1953-06-26 |accessdate=2012-12-07}}</ref> He also served as a U.S. observer at the [[Nuremberg Trials]] in 1946, as chairman of the American delegation to the [[Inter-Parliamentary Union]] in Bern, Switzerland in 1952, as chairman of the [[Duke University]] board of trustees (1947 - 1953), and as [[List of Presidents of the American Bar Association|president]] of the [[American Bar Association]] (1945-1946).<ref>{{cite web|author=iPad iPhone Android TIME TV Populist The Page |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,820563-1,00.html |title=Time Magazine, May 15, 1950 |publisher=Time.com |date=1950-05-15 |accessdate=2012-12-07}}</ref>
Smith served in the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]] from 1927 to 1932, and was briefly the [[Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives|speaker]] of that body in 1931.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=S000639 |title=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress |publisher=Bioguide.congress.gov |date=1953-06-26 |access-date=2012-12-07}}</ref> He also served as a U.S. observer at the [[Nuremberg Trials]] in 1946, as chairman of the American delegation to the [[Inter-Parliamentary Union]] in Bern, Switzerland in 1952, as chairman of the [[Duke University]] board of trustees (1947 - 1953), and as [[List of Presidents of the American Bar Association|president]] of the [[American Bar Association]] (1945-1946).<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,820563-1,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105102133/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,820563-1,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 5, 2012 |title=NORTH CAROLINA: Next in Line|magazine=Time |date=1950-05-15 |access-date=2012-12-07}}</ref>

⚫
In the Democratic primary of 1950, Smith defeated incumbent Sen. [[Frank Porter Graham]] for the nomination. Graham had been appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of [[J. Melville Broughton]] and had served only a little over a year at the time of his defeat. In a campaign distinguished by race-baiting,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-postwar/6103 |title=The 1950 Senate campaign - North Carolina Digital History |publisher=Learnnc.org |date=1999-02-22 |access-date=2012-12-07}}</ref> Graham, who was well known for his civil rights sympathies, was supported by President [[Harry Truman]] and the state's liberal Democratic faction, while Smith was aided by strategist [[Jesse Helms]].


Smith's service in the Senate was brief and unremarkable.{{according to whom|date=December 2023}}
⚫
In the Democratic primary of 1950, Smith defeated incumbent Sen. [[Frank Porter Graham]] for the nomination. Graham had been appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of [[J. Melville Broughton]] and had served only a little over a year at the time of his defeat. In a campaign distinguished by race-baiting,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-postwar/6103 |title=The 1950 Senate campaign - North Carolina Digital History |publisher=Learnnc.org |date=1999-02-22 |accessdate=2012-12-07}}</ref> Graham, who was well known for his antiracist sympathies, was supported by President [[Harry Truman]] and the state's liberal Democratic faction, while Smith was aided by a young strategist named [[Jesse Helms]].


== Death ==
Smith's service in the Senate was brief and unremarkable. He died suddenly in 1953 in Bethesda, Maryland and was interred at the [[Historic Oakwood Cemetery]] in [[Raleigh, North Carolina]].
He died due to [[coronary thrombosis]] in 1953 in Bethesda, Maryland<ref>Senator Willis Smith Dies after Three-Day Illness; Burlington Daily Times; Burlington, North Carolina; Page 1; June 26, 1953</ref> and was interred at the [[Historic Oakwood Cemetery]] in [[Raleigh, North Carolina]].


<gallery>
<gallery>
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==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}



{{s-start}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=[[J. Melville Broughton]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] nominee for [[United States Senator|U.S. Senator]] from [[North Carolina]]<br>([[Classes of United States Senators|Class 2]])|years=[[1950 United States Senate special election in North Carolina|1950]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[W. Kerr Scott]]}}
{{succession box|
{{succession box|
title=[[Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives]]|
title=[[Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives]]|
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{{USSenNC}}
{{USSenNC}}

{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Willis}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Willis}}
[[Category:United States Senators from North Carolina]]
[[Category:Speakers of the North Carolina House of Representatives]]
[[Category:Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives]]
[[Category:Democratic Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives]]
[[Category:Duke University alumni]]
[[Category:Duke University Trinity College of Arts and Sciences alumni]]
[[Category:Duke University School of Law alumni]]
[[Category:North Carolina lawyers]]
[[Category:North Carolina lawyers]]
[[Category:1887 births]]
[[Category:1887 births]]
[[Category:1953 deaths]]
[[Category:1953 deaths]]
[[Category:Burials at Historic Oakwood Cemetery]]
[[Category:Burials at Historic Oakwood Cemetery]]
[[Category:Democratic Party United States Senators]]
[[Category:Democratic Party United States senators from North Carolina]]
[[Category:North Carolina Democrats]]
[[Category:20th-century United States senators]]
[[Category:20th-century American politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly]]

Latest revision as of 21:13, 8 December 2024

Willis Smith
United States Senator
from North Carolina
In office
November 27, 1950 – June 26, 1953
Preceded byFrank P. Graham
Succeeded byAlton Lennon
Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
In office
1927-1932
Personal details
Born(1887-12-19)December 19, 1887
Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
DiedJune 26, 1953(1953-06-26) (aged 65)
Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
Resting placeHistoric Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh, North Carolina
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materTrinity College
ProfessionLaw

Willis Smith (December 19, 1887 – June 26, 1953) was an American attorney and Democratic U.S. senator from the state of North Carolina between 1950 and 1953.

Early life and education

[edit]

Born in Norfolk Virginia, he moved to North Carolina before age 2. After graduating from Trinity College (now the undergraduate liberal arts college of Duke University) in 1910 and Duke University Law School in 1912, he became a practicing attorney—but interrupted his work to serve in the United States Army during World War I. In 1912, he founded the law firm that eventually became known as Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan (informally "Smith Anderson").[1]

Political career

[edit]

Smith served in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 1927 to 1932, and was briefly the speaker of that body in 1931.[2] He also served as a U.S. observer at the Nuremberg Trials in 1946, as chairman of the American delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Bern, Switzerland in 1952, as chairman of the Duke University board of trustees (1947 - 1953), and as president of the American Bar Association (1945-1946).[3]

In the Democratic primary of 1950, Smith defeated incumbent Sen. Frank Porter Graham for the nomination. Graham had been appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of J. Melville Broughton and had served only a little over a year at the time of his defeat. In a campaign distinguished by race-baiting,[4] Graham, who was well known for his civil rights sympathies, was supported by President Harry Truman and the state's liberal Democratic faction, while Smith was aided by strategist Jesse Helms.

Smith's service in the Senate was brief and unremarkable.[according to whom?]

Death

[edit]

He died due to coronary thrombosis in 1953 in Bethesda, Maryland[5] and was interred at the Historic Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh, North Carolina.

  • Campaign flyer for Willis Smith for Senate in the 1950 US Senate race in North Carolina.
    Campaign flyer for Willis Smith for Senate in the 1950 US Senate race in North Carolina.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Smith Anderson: A History of Excellence". Smithlaw.com. 2008-04-26. Archived from the original on 2012-03-02. Retrieved 2012-12-07.
  2. ^ "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress". Bioguide.congress.gov. 1953-06-26. Retrieved 2012-12-07.
  3. ^ "NORTH CAROLINA: Next in Line". Time. 1950-05-15. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved 2012-12-07.
  4. ^ "The 1950 Senate campaign - North Carolina Digital History". Learnnc.org. 1999-02-22. Retrieved 2012-12-07.
  5. ^ Senator Willis Smith Dies after Three-Day Illness; Burlington Daily Times; Burlington, North Carolina; Page 1; June 26, 1953
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from North Carolina
(Class 2)
1950 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives
1931 		Succeeded by
U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. senator (Class 2) from North Carolina
1950–1953
Served alongside: Clyde Roark Hoey 		Succeeded by
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