Correspondence, memoranda, reports and
studies, committee files, and other materials relating to Sam Smith's
activities and interests on City Council, including but not limited to
utilities, public safety, and social services.
Sam Smith was born on July 21, 1922 in Gibsland, Louisiana, the son of a
Baptist minister. In 1942, he was drafted and stationed in Seattle, prior to
serving in the South Pacific theater during World War II. After his tour of
duty, Smith returned to Seattle to attend college. He earned a bachelor's
degree in social science from Seattle University and a bachelor's degree in
economics from the University of Washington; he also did graduate work in
economics and political science at the University of Washington.
Smith went to work for the Boeing Company in 1952 where he was employed
for nearly 17 years. He was elected to the Washington State Legislature in
1958, representing the 37th District for five consecutive terms. The high point
of his legislative career was the State's passage of the Open Housing Act in
1967.
Smith ran for and was elected to the Seattle City Council in 1968; he
was the first African-American to serve on the City Council. During his 24
years on the Council, Smith chaired the Public Safety Committee (1968-1973,
1978-1981), Housing and Human Services Committee (1982-1985), Labor Committee
(1988-1989), and the Utilities Committee (1990-1991). He served as Council
President in 1974-1977 and 1986-1989.
During Smith's years on the City Council, he championed causes such as
local open housing; youth employment; juvenile crime prevention; and racial,
religious, and economic equity. The outspoken Smith was less concerned with
consensus than the construction of a legislative majority. He was often heard
to remark of the nine-member City Council, "Five votes is policy."
Sam Smith was defeated for reelection in 1991 by Sherry Harris.
Following a long battle with illness, he died in November of 1995.
Content Description
Smith's City Council records include correspondence, memoranda, reports
and studies, Utility Committee records, and other materials relating to Smith's
activities and interests on City Council. Primary subjects include utilities,
public safety, social services, and issues of particular importance to the
African-American community.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access :
Records are open to the public.
Preferred Citation :
[Item and date], Sam Smith Seattle City Council Records, Collection
Number 4682, Series [number]. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal
Archives.
Administrative Information
Arrangement :
Records are organized in four series:
Constituent Correspondence (4682-01)
Subject Files (4682-02)
Departmental Correspondence (4682-03)
Utility Committee Records (4682-04)
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection.
4682-01: Constituent
Correspondence, 1989-1991
2.2 cubic
feet ( 6 boxes)
General correspondence and responses to and from constituents,
covering a wide array of topics. The series generally includes complaints,
requests to investigate issues and allegations, invitations, thank you letters,
and marketing/lobbying correspondence. Many letters are from individuals and
organizations seeking Smith's support for issues that are coming before the
City Council, or asking his active support for issues taken up by other
jurisdictions.
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and studies relating to
Smith's activities and interests on City Council, especially during his final
six years in office. Primary subjects include public utilities, public safety,
social services, and issues of particular importance to the African-American
community.
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
African-American Heritage
Cultural Center, Phase II (Myriad Consultants)
1989
1/2
Animal Control
1984
1/3
Arts. Seattle Independent
Comedy Coop.
1984
1/4
Black Prisoners Assistance
Coalition
1984-1988
1/5
Budget Issues, Department
Reorganization Briefings
1991
1/6
Budget Issues, Statement of
Legislative Intent
1977-1980
1/7
Cable TV Franchises,
Renegotiations Processes
1990
1/8
Central Area Motivation
Program. I-90 Housing Displacement Issues.
1989
1/9
Central Area Public
Development Authority
1985-1986
1/10
Central Area Public
Development Authority
1982-1984
1/11
Central Area Public
Development Authority
1989
1/12
Citizen Alternative Plan
Initiative. Elected Officials Activity
1989
1/13
Block Grants
1985
1/14
Community Development
Issues
1982
1/15
Community Development Issues.
Float Loans.
1982
1/16
Crack House
Legislation
1989
1/17
Data Processing
1989
1/18
Deebach vs. City
1991
1/19
Deferred
Compensation
1991
1/20
Domestic Violence Needs
Assessment and Plan
1989
1/21
Downtown Plan: Interim
Controls
1989
2/1
Families and Education Levy,
Agreement
1991
2/2
Garbage Collection, Boyd
Enterprises
1988
2/3
Garbage Collection
Contracts
1989
2/4
Historic Seattle Preservation
and Development Authority
1991
2/5
Housing Issues.
1989-1991
2/6
Housing Issues. Affordable
Housing in Seattle
1991
2/7
Housing Production
Report
1988
2/8
International District
Preservation and Development Authority
1990
2/9
Labor Policy
1988-1989
2/10
Labor Relations
Policy
1988-1989
2/11
Lake City School
Playground
1985
2/12
Land Use. Multi-Family
Remapping.
1990
2/13
Leschi Center. Bailey Gatzert
School Development.
1985
2/14
Managing Future Health Care
Costs for City Employees
Correspondence to and from City departments and regional
agencies, including letters to Smith which he forwarded to relevant departments
for their response. The largest body of material relates to utilities, public
works, parks, and public safety. The vast majority of the correspondence
comprises constituent regarding charges of racial discrimination, complaints
against the Seattle Police Department, issues related to utility billing, and
the discontinuation of utility services. In some cases, the original
correspondence went to another official or directly to a specific department
which in turn forwarded a response to Smith because it was felt that he would
have a particular interest in the issue. Files are arranged alphabetically by
department.
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Department of Administrative
Services.
1984
1/2
Department of Administrative
Services.
1989-1990
1/3
Citizen Services
Bureau.
1984-1985
1/4
City Council.
1984-1985
1/5
City Council.
1989
1/6
City Council.
1990
1/7
City Light.
1982-1983
1/8
City Light.
1984
1/9
City Light.
1985
1/10
City Light.
1988
1/11
City Light.
1988
1/12
City Light.
1988
1/13
City Light.
1988
1/14
City Light.
1988
1/15
City Light.
1989
1/16
City Light.
1990
1/17
City Light.
1990
2/1
City Light.
1991
2/2
City Light. Revenue
Requirements Analysis.
1988
2/3
City Light. Strategic
Marketing.
1988
2/4
Department of Community
Development.
1989
2/5
Department of Community
Development.
1990-1991
2/6
Department of Community
Development. Matching Fund Proposal. Central Area Chamber of
Commerce.
1989
2/7
Office of the
Comptroller.
1989
2/8
Department of Construction
and Land Use.
1984
2/9
Department of Construction
and Land Use.
1984
2/10
Department of Construction
and Land Use.
1984
2/11
Department of Construction
and Land Use.
1985
2/12
Department of Construction
and Land Use.
1985
2/13
Department of Construction
and Land Use.
1989
2/14
Department of Construction
and Land Use.
1989
2/15
Department of Construction
and Land Use.
1989
3/1
Department of Construction
and Land Use.
1989
3/2
Department of Construction
and Land Use.
1990
3/3
Department of Construction
and Land Use.
1990
3/4
Department of Construction
and Land Use.
1991
3/5
Department of Construction
and Land Use.
1991
3/6
Department of Construction
and Land Use.
1991
3/7
Department of Construction
and Land Use. Adult Cabaret Zoning. Public Hearing.
1989
3/8
Department of Construction
and Land Use. Appearance of Fairness Doctrine.
1989
3/9
Department of Construction
and Land Use. Music Hall Demolition.
1989
3/10
Department of Construction
and Land Use. Tree Removal Issue in Broadview.
Correspondence, reports, notes, and agendas of the City Council
Utilities Committee. Smith chaired the committee during his final term on City
Council.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
Geographical Names :
Seattle (Wash.)--Politics
and government
Subject Terms :
African Americans--Washington (State)--Seattle
Discrimination in
housing--Washington (State)--Seattle
