Starts:

Thursday February 05, 2026

    11:30 AM

Ends:

    2:00 PM

Join us for a powerful conversation with Frank Smith, Ph.D., a renowned civil rights activist, former D.C. Council member, and leading voice in the preservation of Black history. Drawing from a lifetime of public service and advocacy, Dr. Smith traces the enduring legacy of the United States Colored Troops and connects their fight for freedom to today’s ongoing struggle for racial justice and equality.

Through compelling stories, hard-earned insights, and a call to action, this program will bridge past and present—reminding us that history is not behind us, but alive in the choices we make today.

EVENT DETAILS:

• Remarks and Q&A, in-person and via Zoom.
• 11:30 a.m. cash bar opens, 12:15 p.m. lunch (optional), 1–2 p.m. program.
• $10 lecture or Zoom only, $30 members and $40 guests for lunch (plus tax).

Frank Smith, is a commentator, civil rights activist, politician, and speaker with a long record of public service. A founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), he worked from 1962 to 1968 organizing and registering Black voters in Mississippi and Alabama and played a leadership role during the 1964 Freedom Summer in Greenwood, Mississippi. He served one term on the D.C. Board of Education before being elected to the D.C. Council in 1982. Representing one of the city’s most diverse wards, Smith served four terms until 1998, supporting legislation to expand affordable housing, encourage business development, and strengthen community investment.

After leaving the Council, Smith became chairman and CEO of the organization that established the African American Civil War Memorial Museum, the nation’s only memorial honoring the United States Colored Troops of the Civil War. Smith earned his bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College and a Ph.D. from the Union Institute in Ohio.

For non-member event reservations: please email pfitzgerald@democraticwoman.org or telephone 202-232-7363 Ext. 402 (voicemails will also be accepted).

*Please note: Guests, with the exception of members’ spouses and domestic partners, may attend a maximum of three paid events from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. After the third event, they must join the Club to continue attending events.* 

Please note: By attending a WNDC event, participants agree to being recorded and/or photographed, and the resulting assets may be used for promotional purposes. Should you wish not to be recorded or photographed, please notify a member of the WNDC staff on site.