Lillian Smith
Lillian Smith was an influential American writer, born in Florida in the late 1800s, who became a prominent voice in the fight against segregation and racism. After her family faced financial difficulties, they moved to Georgia, where Smith took over a summer camp for girls established by her father. She pursued her education at Piedmont College and the Peabody Conservatory, later earning a master’s degree from Columbia University. Following her father's death, Smith took on the family business and turned to writing as a means of coping with her responsibilities.
In 1936, she co-founded a magazine initially titled Pseudopodia, which later became known as South Today, using it as a platform to advocate for social justice. Her 1944 novel, "Strange Fruit," which addresses the harrowing themes of interracial love and lynching, garnered both acclaim and controversy, ultimately becoming a bestseller despite being banned in several cities. Over her career, Smith published eight books, including works that explored LGBTQ+ relationships, and received numerous awards for her literary contributions. Smith’s legacy continues to resonate, highlighting her role as a courageous advocate for equality and social change.
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Subject Terms
Lillian Smith
Writer
- Born: December 12, 1897
- Birthplace: Jasper, Florida
- Died: September 28, 1966
- Place of death: Atlanta, Georgia
Biography
Lillian Smith was born into a well-respected family in Florida in the late 1800’s. In Smith’s teen years, the family began having financial difficulties and moved to Georgia, where her father opened a summer camp for girls. She attended Piedmont College for a year before transferring to the Peabody Conservatory, from which she graduated in 1922. Smith then pursued her master’s degree at Columbia University. After completing her education, Smith briefly taught in China, but returned in 1925 to take over the Laurel Falls Camp from her father. After her father’s death in 1930, Smith took over all of the family’s business matters and the care of her ailing mother. As a way to cope with this newfound stress, Smith turned to writing.
In 1936, Smith, along with her lifelong companion Paula Snelling, began producing a magazine called Pseudopodia, which was renamed North Georgian Review by the following year. Another name change for the publication happened in 1942, and it became South Today. Smith used the magazine to protest segregation and racism. However, Smith also contributed articles to a number of other periodicals, including the Saturday Review, Redbook, Life, The New Republic, The Nation, and The New York Times.
Smith published her first novel, the highly controversial Strange Fruit, in 1944. The book detailed an interracial love affair that resulted in a lynching and the effect of the event on the community. Several cities banned the book, but Strange Fruit became the year’s best seller despite those setbacks. The following year, Smith adapted her book for the stage, and the play was produced in New York City. Smith wrote a total of eight books between 1944 and 1965, including the novel One Hour, which portrayed a homosexual relationship, and her 1962 autobiography Memory of a Large Christmas.
Smith was the recipient of a number of awards for her daring work, including the Page One Award, the Constance Skinner Lindsay Award, the Southern Award, and the Sidney Hillman Award. Smith also received a citation from the National Book Award Committee for distinguished contribution to American letters.