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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA) Resources:
The Civil Rights Movement: In Honor of Dan Smith

Born in 1932, Daniel Robert Smith was the last living child of an enslaved person before his death in October 2022. He graduated from Springfield College in 1960, spending his time on campus as a student-athlete and president of the student council, and worked in psychiatric social work before attending Tuskegee Institute’s veterinary school in Alabama. A lifelong activist, Smith actively participated in the Selma-to-Montgomery marches, developed anti-poverty and emergency medical services programs, helped launch the Korean War Memorial, and became Head Usher at the Washington National Cathedral, escorting Presidents Bush (both of them), Clinton, and Obama. "Son of a Slave," the memoir of his life, was completed shortly before his death. It provides a first-hand account of his life, legacy, and accomplishments.

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