100 Years of Alaska's Legislature
"From Territorial Days to Today"


1913 to 2013

Juneau, Alaska

State & Territorial



Blanche McSmith

BIRTH DATE/PLACE:05/05/1920; Marshall, Texas

EDUCATION:College/University: Wiley College, Graduate, 1941 Post Graduate: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Master's in Social Work, 1944

SPOUSE:William McSmith

CHILDREN:Kimberly Blanche McSmith

EMPLOYMENT:Founder/Co-Owner, McSmith Enterprises (comprised of: Local Television and Appliance Store, Real Estate Business, and Liquor Store); Associate Editor, Local News, The Alaska Spotlight (Alaska's First Black Newspaper); Member, Board of Directors, Greater Anchorage Area Community Action Agency; Social Services Manager, Head Start Program; Director, Public Employment Program, Office of the Governor

SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS:Organized, Local Chapter of the NAACP, Anchorage;
Organized, Afro-American Historical Society of Alaska; Officer, Board of the Anchorage Tuberculosis Association; Member, League of Women Voters; Member, various Toastmaster Clubs; Member, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; Member, Democratic Party of Alaska

OCCUPATION:Founder/Co-Owner, McSmith Enterprises from Anchorage

OTHER:Appointed, 01/25/1960 by then-Governor William Egan, to serve in the House of Representatives, 1st Alaska State Legislature - thus becoming the first African-American to serve in that body