A woman of striking individual achievements.
A landlord and business owner in a challenging era for women, especially Black women, (Smith could not legally claim citizenship until 1865), Smith nonetheless filed lawsuits to defend herself and her property. She mingled with the nation’s most influential politicians and drew national attention. Smith was driven to advance herself and her family, raising two children independently after leaving her husband.
Smith accomplished all of this while facing prejudice as a single, mixed-race woman. Her life provides a unique opportunity to explore the experiences of Black women and their role in shaping 19th-century America.
…as the managing head of Mr. Stevens household she came in contact with many of the great men of the country, of whom she conversed intelligently and most entertainingly.
