Hall of Distinguished Alumni
John T. Smith
Born
in Lexington, Kentucky, on June 14, 1919. Died, July 12, 1994. Educator, Administrator. University
of Kentucky, College of Education, M.A. 1958, Ph.D. 1961.
The first black student to receive
a doctorate from UK, he earned a bachelor's degree from Kentucky State University,
and the equivalent of a master's degree from Indiana University.
His studies at I.U. were interrupted
by World War II. In the summer of 1946, he returned to graduate school at I.U.
His career as an educator included
teaching in junior-senior high school, in two community colleges, Ashland and
Jefferson, and in graduate courses at UK.
His administrative responsibilities
included Division Chair of behavioral sciences and Chairperson of the Ashland
Community College faculty, Assistant Director of the Jefferson Community College
and Chief Administrator of Jefferson Community College from 1969 until 1975
when he accepted a role in Central Administration as the Vice President for
Minority Affairs at the University of Kentucky. He was the first African-American
to serve as the Chief Administrator of Jefferson Community College, and the
first African-American to serve as a member of the President's administrative
staff in the position of Vice President for Minority Affairs. His title changed
to Vice Chancellor for Minority Affairs in 1982. He remained in that position
until 1984 when he retired.
Among his honors and awards were:
Distinguished Citizen of Louisville in 1973 for his work in education; The establishment
and naming of the John T. Smith Learning Center on the downtown campus of Jefferson
Community College in 1985; Named as one of four "Teachers of Renown"
by the Fayette County School System in 1986, and the establishment of the John
T. Smith Scholarship Program at the UK Community College System.
Among his state and national organizations
memberships were the Southern Regional Education Board Advisory Committee, Whitehouse
Conference of Library and Information Steering Committee, Central Kentucky Mental
Health Association board of directors, Community Action of Lexington, and Fayette
County board of directors. He was a member of the Kentucky Restaurant Association
Education Foundation, The Blue Grass Chapter of the American Red Cross Board
and the State Judiciary Selection Commission.
Dr. Smith died in 1994.
John Smith was named to the Hall of Distinguished Alumni on April
21, 1995.