Charles S. Smith papers, circa 1875-1923

Summary

Creator:

Smith, Charles Spencer, 1852-1923

Abstract:

A bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and founder of the denomination's Sunday School Union

Extent:

6 microfilms
4 linear feet
1 oversize folder (Ac)

Language:

English.

Call Number:

85413 Aa 2

Authors:

Finding aid prepared by: Karen Mason, 1982 Melissa Johnson and Ann Flowers, 1990 (for microfilming)

Background

Scope and Content:

The papers of Charles Spencer Smith measure 4 linear feet and date from ca. 1875 to 1923. The correspondence, sermons, speeches, articles, and printed material in the collection relate primarily to Smith's work in the African Methodist Episcopal Church as secretary and treasurer of the Sunday School Union, and as a bishop. Of particular value is a manuscript history of the A.M.E. Church in the 1840's and 1850's written by Bishop Daniel A. Payne, D.D., LL.D, and edited by Smith. These manuscript chapters from A History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church point out that Smith may have eliminated some of the original manuscript's detail to make Payne's work more concise. Smith himself wrote A History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Vol. 2, which was printed by the Book Concern of the A.M.E. Church, Philadelphia, in 1922. This volume covers the history of the church during the years 1856-1922 and was intended as a sequel to Bishop Payne's work. The Bentley Library has reprints of both of these volumes.

Biographical information has been placed at the beginning of the collection. It is followed by Smith's correspondence; his speeches, articles, sermons, pamphlets, and other writings; and material pertaining to the Methodist Ecumenical Conferences he attended in London in 1901 and 1921. Then there are materials relating to the A.M.E. Church, both printed and manuscript, followed by newspaper clippings, memorabilia, and topical files. Papers of Christine Shoecraft Smith and Charles S. Smith, Jr. follow. Books (non-Smith) and photographs have been placed at the end of the collection.

The correspondence and writings of Smith pertain to the A.M.E. Church, to his visits to Africa, settlement of Liberia by American Blacks, the education of Blacks, and related topics. Minutes of annual conferences of the A.M.E. Church in districts served by Smith are included with the printed material.

In addition to Smith's papers, the collection contains papers of his wife, Christine Shoecraft Smith, and of their son, Charles Spencer Smith, Jr. Christine Smith's papers consist of condolence cards and letters upon the death of her husband, two autograph books, and copies of selected pages of a scrapbook which has been returned to the donor. The papers of C. S. Smith, Jr., consist of correspondence, notebooks, and technical material compiled by Smith while he served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army during World War I.

Due to the rare and fragile nature of many of the materials in the collection, everything has been microfilmed except for the non-Smith books. The aforementioned book by Smith, Glimpses of Africa, and scattered issues of The Child's Recorder and Our Sunday School Review for the years 1889-1891 had been microfilmed previously. The microfilm is the only copy the Bentley Library has of these publications.

Biographical / Historical:

Charles Spencer Smith, a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and founder of the denomination's Sunday School Union, was born in Colborne, Canada, on March 16, 1852, son of Catharine and Nehemiah Henry Smith, and died on February 1, 1923. His home was Detroit, Michigan.

Although best known for his activities in the A.M.E. Church, Smith had a varied career. He received his education in the public schools of Canada and moved to the United States after the Civil War. From 1869 through 1871 he taught school under the Freedman's Bureau in Kentucky, Mississippi, and Alabama. Smith was ordained to the ministry of the A.M.E. Church in 1872 and was elected to the House of Representatives of the Alabama State Legislature in 1874, serving until 1876. He studied at Central Tennessee College (later Walden University) in Nashville and received an M.D. from Meharry Medical college in Nashville in 1880.

Smith served briefly as a pastor in the 1870's, and in the 1880's became more actively involved in the A.M.E. Church. In 1882 he proposed that a Sunday School similar to that of the Methodist Episcopal Church be established in the A.M.E. Church. The plan was adopted by the Bishops' Council, and Smith was appointed corresponding secretary and treasurer of the new Sunday School Union, a position he held until 1900. Smith also edited the Union's journals The Child's Recorder and Our Sunday School Review.

In May 1900, Smith was elected the twenty-eighth bishop of the A.M.E. Church. He was first assigned to the Twelfth Episcopal District, which included Canadian and South American conferences, as well as Bermuda and the Windward Islands. He was also put in charge of the Louisiana conference. In 1904, Smith was assigned to the Thirteenth Episcopal District, comprising the South African conferences, but he left there in 1905 following a controversy over financial affairs and other matters within the church. He then took charge of the work in West Africa. Smith was assigned to the Sixth Episcopal District (Georgia) in 1908, the Tenth Episcopal District (Texas) in 1912, and the Fifteenth Episcopal District (Michigan, Canada, and Bermuda) in 1916. Bishop Smith retired in 1920 from active conference supervision and was appointed church historiographer. He was the author of numerous pamphlets and wrote a book Glimpses of Africa (1895), in which he drew on his experiences during a trip to the west and southwest coasts of Africa in 1894. In the final years of his life, Smith wrote a history of the A.M.E. Church.

Smith married Kate Josephine Black in March 1876. They had one child who survived, Susan Elnora Smith, who later married John W. Evans. Kate Smith died in 1885. In December 1888, Smith married Christine Shoecraft, a school teacher. They had a son, Charles Spencer Smith, Jr.

Acquisition Information:

The accession (donor no. 6803 ) was received from Frances Windham, July 1982.

Arrangement:

The Charles Spencer Smith papers are available in both the original paper records and in a microfilm edition. This finding aid includes complete contents list for both the paper (by box) and microfilm editions (by reel.) The Smith papers have been arranged in ten series:

1. Microfilm Edition
   • Biographical Information [Reel 1]
   • Correspondence [Reel 1]
   • Stenographer's Notepads of Correspondence, etc. [Reel 1-2]
   • Speeches, Sermons, and Writings [Reel 2-3]
   • Methodist Ecumenical Conference, London [Reel 4]
   • African Methodist Episcopal Church [Reel 4-5]
   • Clippings, Miscellaneous and Topical Files [Reel 5-6]
   • Christine Shoecraft Smith [Reel 6]
   • Charles Spencer Smith, Jr. [Reel 6]
   • Books (non-Smith) [Reel 6]
   • Photographs [Reel 6]

1. Paper Records
   • Biographical Information [Box 1]
   • Correspondence [Box 1]
   • Stenographer's Notepads of Correspondence, etc. [Box 1]
   • Speeches, Sermons, and Writings [Boxes 1-2]
   • Methodist Ecumenical Conference, London [Box 2]
   • African Methodist Episcopal Church [Boxes 2-3]
   • Clippings, Miscellaneous and Topical Files [Box 3]
   • Christine Shoecraft Smith [Box 4]
   • Charles Spencer Smith, Jr. [Box 4]
   • Books (non-Smith) [Box 4]
   • Photographs [Box 4]

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

African Americans.
African Americans -- Michigan.
Clergy -- United States.
Education -- United States.
World War, 1914-1918.
African Americans.
African Americans -- Michigan.
Church buildings.
Resorts -- Michigan.
Sermons.

Formats:

Photographs.

Names:

African Methodist Episcopal Church.
World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : c Chicago, Ill.)
Smith, Charles Spencer, 1852-1923.
Smith, Charles S., Jr. (Charles Spencer)
Smith, Christine Shoecraft.

Places:

Africa.
Baldwin (Mich.)
Bermuda Islands.
Dominican Republic.
Georgetown (Guyana)
Idlewild (Mich.)