Calvin L. Smith (1907-1968) was a pharmacist, coroner, and member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1965 until his death in 1968.[1] A Democrat, he represented the 24th District in the 74th and 75th sessions of the Illinois General Assembly.[2]
Born in Springfield, Ohio, Smith moved to Chicago at a young age with his family.[3] He became a pharmacist, receiving his pharmacy degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and then owning and operating a pharmacy with his father for the next 15 years.[3] From 1951 to 1952, he was president of the Chicago Pharmacists Association.[1] He served as chief pharmacist of the Cook County Jail,[4] and was appointed deputy coroner of Cook County in 1961.[3]
An active participant in civil society, Smith was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the Prince Hall Masons, and Chicago's Pilgrim Baptist Church.[5] He served in the 4th ward Democratic Organization, as captain of the 15th precinct and as executive secretary of the ward organization.[3]
Smith was first elected to the Illinois House in 1964.[1] The 1964 election was unprecedented in that the House's previous failure to approve a redistricting plan caused all representatives to be elected statewide. As a result, all 118 House candidates on the statewide Democratic slate were elected. In the 1966 election, Smith contended with fellow first-time representative James A. McLendon to represent the 24th District, with neither able to consolidate support within the Democratic Party organization.[6]
During his two terms of office, his contributions included his support of legislation to compensate teachers based on workload, and to establish apprenticeship programs for African American students.[1] In 1966, he was one of the four founding members of the study committee that gave rise to the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus.[7]
On June 29, 1968,[5] during his second term, Smith died at Chicago's Michael Reese Hospital of a heart attack.[4]