The Midnight Mayor of Charleston, S.C.: The Henry Smith Story

By: Maxine Smith

ISBN: 978-1952248856
6×9, 160 pages, paper

The phenomenon of a “midnight mayor,” a black man who took care of the social and political needs of his community at a time when few could vote or had any legitimate political power, is an interesting one, but it was not uncommon during Henry Smith’s lifetime. It is safe to say that each Southern city of size during the Jim Crow era had a black person who was able to speak for and manage the affairs of the African American neighborhoods. Henry Smith’s biography is important in preserving one such story.All proceeds for the sale of this book are donated to the Henry and Emily Smith Endowment Fund at the Coastal Community Foundation in North Charleston, S.C.