Kelly Miller Smith

An upcoming virtual symposium featuring noted speakers and held in celebration of the civil rights accomplishments of Kelly Miller Smith Sr. will discuss voter access and civic participation in light of this year’s midterm elections. This year’s featured speaker is Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Barack Obama Foundation and former senior advisor to President Barack Obama. Read More

A virtual symposium with noted speakers and artists will reflect on the civil rights legacy of Kelly Miller Smith Sr., Vanderbilt’s first African American administrator, and its meaning today. The symposium is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 28. Read More

We must ensure that the artwork displayed at Vanderbilt celebrates role models that inspire all members of our rich mosaic, writes Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos in this week's column. Read More

As part of Black History Month, Vanderbilt’s basketball teams suited up in specially made jerseys for their winning games on Feb. 18 and 19. The back of each uniform featured the name of an individual who played an influential role in the civil rights movement. Read More

Vanderbilt recently celebrated Equality Weekend, a two-day event that honored 21 of Nashville’s civil rights leaders and marked the 50th anniversary of Vanderbilt breaking the SEC’s color barrier with men’s basketball players Perry Wallace and Godfrey Dillard. The 21 leaders were honored at the Commodores’ men’s basketball game on Feb. 18 and the women’s game on Feb. 19—both Vanderbilt victories. Read More

Author and alumnus Robert Penn Warren's impact on civil rights is among the topics of a Feb. 10 panel discussion with '60s activists Robert Moses and Ruth Turner Perot along with the Rev. Kelly Miller Smith Jr., pastor of the historic First Baptist Church, Capitol Hill. Read More

It's been 50 years since eight African American students first enrolled as undergraduates at Vanderbilt. The university is marking this and other milestones with a new website and with banners displayed in a central location on campus. Read More

A new Vanderbilt residence hall pays tribute to the legacy of civil rights pioneer and former Vanderbilt Divinity School assistant dean Kelly Miller Smith. Read More

As the College Halls at Kissam construction project continues to take shape on the northeast corner of Vanderbilt’s campus, the university has announced plans to name the finished structures and areas within them in honor of several figures significant to the history and culture of the university. Read More