The Richard E. Smith papers document Smith's personal and professional activities, particularly his involvement in the Epsilon chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, professional career as an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN), and efforts to commemorate the role that Detroit and its institutions played in the Underground Railroad. Material is dated from 1969-2022 and includes award information, biographical and genealogical material about his family, historical material about St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, correspondence relating to his professional career and activities, publications, an Alpha Phi Alpha scrapbook, and topical files.
Richard ("Rick") Edgar Smith was born to George W. Smith Jr. and Eleanor L. Smith in Detroit, Michigan. After graduating from Detroit's Mumford High School, Smith matriculated to the University of Michigan (U-M) in 1969. While a student at U-M, he was active in the Epsilon Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. In 1973, he was honored as National College Member of the Year. After receiving a Bachelor of Science in biology in 1973, Smith moved to Washington D.C., studied at the Howard University College of Medicine, and was selected to be a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, the national medical honor society. He received his Doctor of Medicine in 1976 and, after relocating back to Michigan, completed an obstetrics and gynecology residency at Wayne State University's Hutzel Hospital. He also received a certificate from the Harvard School of Public Health in 2004 after participating in their Program for Chiefs of Clinical Services and is a member of the Sigma Pi Phi Professional Fraternity. In 1980, Dr. Smith joined the Henry Ford Medical Group (HFMG) as a physician and its Director of Adolescent Pediatric Gynecology. He held a variety of other roles during his tenure at Henry Ford, including Chair of the Board of Governors (2003-2007) and Vice President for Physician Outreach (2011-2020). In addition, Dr. Smith taught at several universities, including at the University of Michigan as a Clinical Assistant Professor (1980-1997). He retired in 2020.
Dr. Smith advocated for improved healthcare for patients over the course of his professional career, particularly prenatal care for young mothers and their children. He also frequently testified before governmental bodies like the United States Senate in support of these efforts and, as a result, helped establish the National Commission to Prevent Infant Mortality, among others.
Dr. Smith has actively participated in various medical societies over the decades, including as president of both the Wayne County Medical Society of Southeast Michigan (2004-2005) and Michigan State Medical Society (2009). Notably, Dr. Smith was not only the first African American president of the Michigan State Medical Society, but—during his tenure—he facilitated the American Medical Association's apology for its historical discrimination of Black doctors. In addition, Dr. Smith has served on the Executive Committee of the Southeast Michigan March of Dimes, Board of Governors for the Cranbrook Institute of Science, Board of Trustees for the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and the Detroit Tri-centennial Gateway to Freedom Monument to the Underground Railroad Committee.
Alongside his medical society service work, Dr. Smith has also helped bring attention to the role that the city of Detroit and its related institutions—like St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, one of the oldest historically Black churches in the city—played in the Underground Railroad. As a direct result of his efforts, the National Park Service (NPS) established St. Matthew's Episcopal Church as a National Historic Site (as part of their Network to Freedom program).
Dr. Smith has received numerous awards over the course of his career, including a 1986 Michigan Senate Resolution honoring his work at the Henry Ford Hospital (Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 908), the HFMG Fred Whitehouse Award for Distinguished Service (2013), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' (ACOG) Distinguished Service Award (2021), and a Certificate of Congressional Recognition from U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (2021). He is also a Fellow of both ACOG and the American College of Physician Executives.
