DAMU SMITH

1951- 2005

The Life and Work of Damu Smith

Damu Smith was one of the founding members of NBEJN and its first executive director. Damu’s had been an activist for over thirty years, traveling to over 1,000 cities and towns in 45 countries. The breadth of his work for these causes created safer communities and better lives for millions around the world as he became a voice against racism, war, police brutality, apartheid, hunger, oppressive governmental policies, and industrial pollution.

Damu was born Leroy Wesley Smith on December 6, 1951, and raised in a St. Louis public housing complex called Carr Square Village. He has said that his passion for aiding the cause of others, was inherited from his mother, Vernice Smith, and that his father, Sylvester Smith, was his intellectual influence.

It was 1969 and the height of the Black Power Movement that Damu became politically active with these groups and made two visits to Cairo, Illinois, to assist the local Black United Fund, which was dealing with recent attacks by white supremacists. It was these visit that laid the ground work for Damu’s tireless and effective activism.

  • The visits to Cairo totally transformed my life. I made my decision on the bus leaving there that I would commit my life to the movement of social justice and black rights. I knew I would use whatever I learned at college for the struggle of black equality and black liberation.

    Damu Smith

  • If it takes the last breath out of my body, I’m going to use my mouth to speak on behalf of those who are voiceless, and use my mind to provide whatever wisdom and experience I have to train young people and train others to be more effective about how we can organize and stop these problems.

    Damu Smith

In 1970 he entered St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota. Damu started to become more organized in his activism, as head of the black student union—The Organization of Afro-American Students. Damu and the students sought changes on campus and did not waste any time. During his first semester he led a takeover of the administration building. The group was arrested and landed on the front page of major newspapers across the state.

Damu started to refer to himself as Damu Amiri Imara Smith in college, to reflect his dedication to social activism. He shared the meaning of his name with the Washington Post. In Swahili, “Damu means blood, as in 'the blood that I am willing to shed for the liberation of my people.' Amiri means leadership, as in 'the leadership I must provide in the service of my people.' Imara means strength, as in 'the strength and stamina I have to maintain the struggle.”

On May 5, 2005 the world lost one of the brightest lights. His dedication and relentless pursuit of justice, equity, fairness and hope has forever changed the people, communities, and issues he worked with and fought on behalf of. NBEJN continues to carry on the legacy and work of this juggernaut. We honor his dedication, commitment, relentless pursuit of what is right, just and fair in our work today.