23 Facts About Beverly Smith

Beverly Smith was born on November 16,1946 and in Cleveland, Ohio, is a Black feminist health advocate, writer, academic, theorist and activist who is the twin sister of writer, publisher, activist and academic Barbara Smith.

Beverly Smith is an instructor of Women's Health at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Beverly Smith was one of three authors of the famous Combahee River Collective Statement, "one of the most widely read discussions of Black feminism", which was developed by members of the radical lesbian black feminist Combahee River Collective in 1977.

Beverly Smith was born on November 16,1946, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Hilda Beall Smith.

Beverly Smith was raised in a full home that included her mother, grandmother, her aunt, and periodically, her aunt's husband.

Beverly Smith's mother had a Bachelor's of Science in education from Fort Valley State University.

Beverly Smith attended Bolton Elementary School before transferring to Robert Fulton Elementary school, Alexander Hamilton Jr.

Beverly Smith graduated high school in January 1965, and enrolled at the University of Chicago later that year, graduating in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts in History.

Beverly Smith later went on to receive a Masters of Public Health from Yale University and a Masters of Human Development and Psychology from Harvard Graduate School of Education.

The death of Beverly Smith's mother was the motivator for her to pursue public health in university, with a focus on Black women's health.

Beverly Smith became politically active when she was in high school and was involved in Congress of Racial Equality.

Beverly Smith was inspired by the feminist protests at the 1968 Miss American pageant.

Beverly Smith met Fannie Lou Hamer at a party after a rally in Cleveland.

Beverly Smith was involved with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1967.

Beverly Smith was raised in the Baptist Church and attended Antioch Baptist Church, one of the oldest African-American churches in Cleveland.

Beverly Smith is a member of the First Parish of Watertown, a Unitarian Universalist church since 2014.

In 1973, Beverly Smith moved to New York City and became a writer for Ms.

Beverly Smith began attended NOW meetings in 1973 but soon stopped going as their focus was on white middle- and upper-class struggles.

When working as a contraceptive counselor at Boston City Hospital, Beverly Smith was exposed to the state of women's healthcare and she then maintained a working relationship with a feminist health center in the area.

Beverly Smith attended conferences speaking on Black and Third World women's health.

Beverly Smith worked with the Boston Committee on ending sterilization abuse.

Beverly Smith took part in the above interview as a member of the Boston Chapter Committee to End Sterilization Abuse.

The early stages of Combahee River Collective began in 1975 while Beverly Smith was living in Boston for her work placements at Boston City Hospital with her sister, Barbara Beverly Smith, and Demita Frazier.