TAMPA, Fla. — Throughout February, we’ll be highlighting historical African American figures who have had an impact in their fields, whether that be art, education, politics or sports. All of them have a Florida connection.
Fred Hearns is a historian with the Tampa Bay History Center, and he was born and raised in Tampa.
We’re highlighting a man who rose from getting his GED to his Ph.D. and even worked for NASA.
“Dr. Walter L. Smith grew up in Tampa, and then later on, he moved to New York, but Tampa was always considered his home,” said Hearns.
He worked with the US government on federal school desegregation programs and committed his life to making education more accessible.
“As a young man, he pursued the field of science and actually worked at the Kennedy Space Center during the early days when Kennedy was just beginning to hire Black people to work in that industry,” said Hearns.
Dr. Smith was tasked with developing an educational curriculum for engineering assistants on the Saturn V program.
“Dr. Walter Smith opened the doors for many young Blacks to come into that field and to do well and to excel, and he really, really left his mark on the science industry, as well as in education,” said Hearns.
He was the seventh president of Florida A&M. During his time as president, the historically Black university grew from having seven to 11 schools and universities, widening the choices for students.
Dr. Smith passed away in Tampa in 2021. His success and commitment to education is why he’s not just Black history, he’s Florida history.
