Legislator Details
Number of sessions served 8
Gender: Female
Age at election: 59
Vital Records Information:
Birth
Date: 11/10/1935
City: Ware Shoals, SC
County:
Country: US
Death
Date:
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Type of Burial:
Burial
Date:
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Marital Information:
children: Marion Junior, Deborah Ann Gilmore.
Number of Children: 2
Background
Religion: Baptist
Military Service:
Occupation:
Race: African American or Negro or Black
Education:
Student, Highland Park Jr. College, 1954
DHH, Tennessee School Religion, 1990,Honorary Doctorate of
Humanities;
DHL, Urban Bible Institute, Detroit, 1994, Honorary
Doctorate of Law Degree;
Biographical Sketch:
Daughter of Harold & Pearl (Wardlaw) Smith. Retired from Michigan Bell Telephone after 26 yrs (1960-86.) Associated with many organizations. Recipient Plaque Highland Park School Board, 1977, National Political Congress of Black Women award, 1981, Resolution, Wayne County Bd Commissioners, 1981, Wayne Co. Auditors, 1981, Dollars & Sense Magazine award, 1989, Special Achievement award Amvets, Golden Heritage award for excellence in service, 1988, Community Service award Knoxville College Alumni, 1988. Member Michigan State Dem. Central Committee, 1974-82; commissioner Wayne Co. Bd Commissioners, 1977-80; vice chairwoman Wayne Co. Civil Service Commission, 1980-82; president Highland Park City Council, 1984-87; mayor City of Highland Park, 1988; Dem. precinct del. 1st Congl. District; bd directors National Council Alcoholism & Other Dependencies, 1979, Detroit Osteopathic Hospital, 1990; vice chairwoman Michigan Women in Municipal Government; founding member National Political Congress Black Women; adv. board Metropolitan Region Business Alliance; vol. Residential Care Alternatives. Member Gamma Phi Delta.
Notable Facts:
First African American women elected mayor of a Michigan city & first woman mayor of Highland Park, 1988. Chairwoman Human Resources Committee, 1978-80.
Served in both chambers.
Sessions Served:
Committees Served On: Appropriations , Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Appropriations Subcommittee on Capital Outlay, Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Human Services, Appropriations Subcommittee on Economic Development
City of Residence: Highland Park
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: cities of Hamtramck, Highland Park, Harper Woods, Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Parks and Grosse Pointe and portions of Grosse Pointe Shores and Detroit [see map in Manual p.153]
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Notes: Min. Vice-Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee son Agriculture; Department of Human Services; and Economic Development
Committees Served On: Appropriations , Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Appropriations Subcommittee on Capital Outlay, Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Human Services, Appropriations Subcommittee on Economic Development
City of Residence: Highland Park
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: cities of Hamtramck, Highland Park, Harper Woods, Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Parks and Grosse Pointe and portions of Grosse Pointe Shores and Detroit [see map in Manual p.172]
Reason for Leaving Office: Term Limited
End of Term Status: Departed
Notes: Min. Vice-Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittees on Agriculture; Department of Human Services; and Economic Development
Committees Served On: Appropriations , Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Labor & Economic Development, Appropriations Subcommittee on Family Independence Agency, Appropriations Subcommittee on K-12, School Aid and Education, Appropriations Subcommittee on Retirement
City of Residence: Highland Park
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: cities of Hamtramck, Highland Park, Harper Woods, Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Parks and Grosse Pointe and portions of Grosse Pointe Shores and Detroit [see map in Manual p.150
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
Committees Served On: Appropriations , Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Labor & Economic Development, Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Services, Appropriations Subcommittee on K-12, School Aid and Education, Appropriations Subcommittee on Retirement
City of Residence: Highland Park
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: cities of Hamtramck, Highland Park, Harper Woods, Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Parks and Grosse Pointe and portions of Grosse Pointe Shores and Detroit [see map in Manual p.150]
Reason for Leaving Office:
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Notes: Min. Vice-Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittees on Human Services; and Retirement
Committees Served On: Banking and Financial Institutions , Families, Mental Health and Human Services, Human Resources and Labor, Judiciary
Postions Held: Assistant Democratic Whip
City of Residence: Highland Park
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: Cities of Highland Park and Hamtramck and part of the city of Detroit [see map in Manual p.169] in Wayne County
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Notes: Elected in a special election to fill the vacancy left by Virgil Smith's resignation.
Committees Served On: Education , Insurance and Financial Services, Regulatory Reform
Postions Held: Minority Whip
City of Residence: Highland Park
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: Cities of Hamtramck, Highland Park and part of Detroit [see map in Manual p.274] in Wayne County
Reason for Leaving Office: Term Limited
End of Term Status: Departed
Notes: Minority Vice-Chair: Regulatory Reform.
Committees Served On: Education , Human Services and Children, Insurance , Regulatory Affairs, Transportation
City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: Cities of Hamtramck, Highland Park and part of Detroit [see map in Manual p.278] in Wayne County
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Committees Served On: Education , Insurance
Postions Held: Minority Whip
City of Residence: Highland Park
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: Cities of Hamtramck, Highland Park and part of Detroit [see map in Manual p.279] in Wayne County
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Notes: Member of the Task Forces on Corrections; and Education
Bibliography:
AALM p.7; WWMW31st; Capitol2009 p.22; 2010 SJ Dec1, SR211
