Mary Carter Smith (February 10, 1919-April 24, 2007)

#MaryCarterSmith (February 10, 1919-April 24, 2007) #OTD #StoryTeller #Folklorist #MotherGrio #SchoolTeacherAndLibrarian #JimCrowColoredSchoolSystem #HBCU

My dear friend graduated in 1938 from the historic #FrederickDouglassHighSchool in #OldWestBaltimore and then graduated from #CoppinTeachersCollege in 1942 (during World War II). She was a teacher and librarian in the Baltimore City School System for 31 years.

Many of the members of the 1938 class of Frederick Douglass High School, also graduated from Coppin Teachers College in 1942.

In 1982, she and Linda Goss cofounded the National Association of Black Storytellers. I reflect back fondly on the private conversations in her home that we shared about her life on overcoming obstacles. She helped to put storytelling on the map!

Next year, for the centennial of her birth, we’ll share a rare item that she donated to the archives.