Willis Smith
Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
Willis Smith. United States Senator, 1950-53, speaker N.C. House of Representatives, president American Bar Assn. Home is 100 yds. W., grave is two miles S.E.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
Willis Smith rose to the top of North Carolina and national law and politics in the mid-20th century, serving as speaker of the state House, president of the American Bar Association, and a United States Senator from 1950 to 1953. His home stood just west of here. His 1950 Senate campaign was one of the most bitterly contested of its era.
Why it matters
His career reflects the postwar political currents of the American South as it wrestled with change on the national stage.
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Related people
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Themes & tags
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