Dear Howard University Community,

I am saddened to report the passing of Chairman Emeritus Wayman Smith III, a titan of civic and political life. He was 80 years old.

Mr. Smith’s legacy on his hometown of St. Louis cannot be understated. In both his public and private life, he worked to bring security and prosperity to his local community. He was an elected official, serving as an alderman, like his father for whom he was named. He was president of the police board, and he was a former vice president for corporate affairs with Anheuser-Busch Cos., a Fortune 500 business based in St. Louis.

His impact, however, stretched well beyond the borders of Missouri. Mr. Smith earned his law degree from the Howard University School of Law in 1965 and retained a strong connection to our campus throughout his life. He served on Howard’s Board of Trustees of Howard from 1989 – 2012, as the chairman from 1991 – 1995, and was conferred the honorific title of chairman emeritus by his colleagues on the Board.

I know that his experience and continued involvement at Howard had a profound effect on his outlook, the movements he championed, the causes for which he tirelessly advocated. Mr. Smith helped to initiate the aldermanic Black caucus in the 1970s. He served as director of conciliation for the Missouri Human Rights Commission and practiced alongside Margaret Bush Wilson, a national and local NAACP leader.

Mr. Smith had the limitless energy needed to complement his extraordinary gifts and powerful intellect. He was also a St. Louis municipal judge as well as an Airport Commission member. He served on the boards for the National Sickle Cell Association, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the national Urban League and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. 

His list of involvements and affiliations was truly endless. But Mr. Smith will not only be remembered for his resume. Those who had the privilege of knowing him and working alongside him can testify to the impact he had. He left every organization he was involved with in a better position than when he began. 

While we will grieve this loss, let us continue to be inspired by Mr. Smith’s legacy, by his tenacity, by his commitment to progress and change. Let us all keep those he left behind in our hearts and minds as we remember Mr. Wayman Smith III, a man who left his imprint on St. Louis, on Howard University, and on our country.

Excellence in Truth and Service,

Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA
President