Kelly Miller Smith Papers
Chronology

1920
Born Mound Bayou, MS, 28 October 1920

1941
First Church: Mt. Heroden Baptist, Vicksburg, MS

1942
Ordained, Providence Baptist Church, Atlanta

1946-51
Mount Heroden Baptist Church, Vicksburg, MS

1946-48
Natchez College, MS, Head, Department of Religion

1949-50
Alcorn College, MS, Extension Teacher

1951
Installed as Pastor, First Baptist Church of Capitol Hill, Nashville, Tennessee

1952
United Negro College Fund, Nashville Division Chairman. (1952-53)

1953
Ebony Magazine names Smith "One of 10 Great Negro Preachers in US"

1954
Stones River Assn., Moderator (1954, 1955)

1955
Mideast, W. European Tour, Baptist World Alliance Conference (London)
Nashville Chapter, NAACP; elected president (1955, 1956)

1956
Alpha Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa Sorority, Life Membership

1958
Nashville Christian Leadership Council (affiliate of SCLC); founded by Smith, president until 1965

1962
KMS orchestrates reunification of First Baptist & Community Baptist Churches after 38 year separation

1963
Resigns First Baptist Church pastorate for Antioch Baptist Church, Cleveland; Martin Luther King, Jr., preaches at Smith's installation at Antioch (9/29)

Resigns Antioch, returns to First Baptist Church (12/31)

1964
Metro Action Commission; Smith appointed to, serves until 1966

Named Owen College Trustee

Member Tennesse Council on Human Relations, SCLC, Southern Regional Council

1966
First Baptist begins building program
American Baptist Convention speaker.
SCLC, executive board member
25th Anniversary with First Baptist
Harvard University, Merrill Fellow
Negro & White Baptist Association, Evangelism Conference, main speaker
Tennessee Baptist Leadership Education Congress; president
Tennessee Human Relations Council; executive board member
Joins Vanderbilt Divinity School as first black faculty member
Harvard University, Merrill Fellow
Appointed Assistant Dean, Vanderbilt Divinity School
Tennessee Human Relations Council; executive board member
Cong Trip, under sponsorship of American Baptist Mission Society of American Baptist Convention
"Clergy of the Year", Religious Heritage of America
Delivers Kentucky State College convocation address
Annual Festival of Faith, PA; Smith first black to address
3rd Annual MLK, Jr., Lectures, sponsored by Center for Urban Black Studies, Berkeley, speaker
First Baptist moves into new building
Delivers Fisk University baccalaureate address
A.C. Bass Memorial Fund Foundation speaker
World Assembly of UBS, Ethiopia, sponsored by American Bible Society
Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship, speaker
Church & Community Leadership Institute, MS State Univ.
Ministers' Institute & Christian Lay Leaders' Institute, NC, speaker
MLK Memorial speaker, Springfield, MA
25th Anniverary with First Baptist Church
Church Leaders' Conference, NC, speaker
MLK Week, IMF sponsor (Smith treasurer)
Honored by First Baptist Church, 27th Anniversary
Named to Mound Bayou, MS, "Hall of Fame"
Human Relations Award, Nashville Chapter of NCCJ
Black History Month, VA, speaker
Delivers Savannah State College commencement address
KMS Towers dedicated (first minority-owned housing unit in Nashville)
Contributor to Urban League's Annual State of Black America Report
Delivers Lyman Beecher Lectures, Yale University
June 3, died

Memberships:

• Nashville NAACP, president, 1956-59
  
• SCLC, executive board member 1957-69; founding member
  
• Nashville Christian Leadership Council, founder, president, 1951-63
  
• Nashville Ministers Alliance, first black president
  
• Tennessee Baptist Leadership Educator Congress, president, 1965-69
  
• International Freedom Mobilization, National Chairman
  
• World Council of Churchs, Faith & Order Commission
  
• Opportunities Industrial Center (OIC), founder
  
• Tennessee Council on Human Relations, Board Member
  
• Morehouse College School of Religion, Board Member
  
• American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, Board Member
  
• Southern Regional Council, Board Member
  
• Family & Children's Services, Board Member
  
• Advisory Board on Theological Studies, Board Member
  
• Commission on Ministry of American Baptist Convention, Board Member
  
• Opportunities Industrial Center, Board Member
  
• Nashville Urban League, Charter Member

Awards:

• Who's Who in South & Southwest
  
• Outstanding Civic Leaders of America
  
• "One of America's Ten Most Outstanding Preachers"
  
• Honorary Tribal Chief of Bashua Tribe, Zaire, Central Africa
  
• One of Nashville's Ten Most Influential Citizens

Academic Career:

• Tennessee State University (Music Major), 1938-40
  
• Morehouse College, B.A., 1942
  
• Howard University, B.D., 1945
  
• Vanderbilt University, 1955
  
• Howard University, Honorary D.D.

Family:

• Wife: Alice
  
• Children: Dorothy, Joy, Adena, KMS, Jr., Valerie
  
• Sister: Zeraline Verner
  
• Brothers: Perry A., Daniel M., Kemper H., Oswald G.
  
• Aunt: Zee A. Barron

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