Henrietta M. Smith

In 2014 REFORMA,The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking and ALSC honored Dr. Smith at the 20th anniversary of the Pura Belpré Award. In a tribute to Dr. Smith the REFORMA de Florida Task Force noted, "Dr. Smith was a member of REFORMA and REFORMA de Florida, and a supporter since we first tried to reorganize the chapter in 2011. Dr. Smith was a champion for diversity and representation in children's literature, long before #OwnVoices was a hashtag or “We Need Diverse Books” was trending."

In 2008, Smith was honored with the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Distinguished Service Award. She was honored with the Employment Service Human Resource Champions Award and the 2011 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Practitioner Award for Lifetime Achievement. In 2014, she received the Carle Honors Mentor award from The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art for her life's work as a champion of diversity in children's literature. The citation reads: "Dr. Henrietta Mays Smith is widely recognized for her contributions as an influential children's librarian, scholar, and author and as a strong advocate for quality and diversity in children's literature." She was the first librarian to receive this honor.

In 2006, at age 84, Smith traveled with a medical team down the Amazon River telling stories to children in the small villages of Enseada, Itapiranga and Nova Esperança.

Dr. Smith was also involved with Storytelling International, which teaches and develops multicultural storytelling and the oral tradition. She told stories with Esther Martinez, also known as P'oe Tswa (Blue Water), in New Mexico and contributed to Martinez' 2004 book, My Life in San Juan Pueblo: Stories of Esther Martinez.

In Florida Smith worked as a school librarian and consultant for Broward County, where she built the children's book collection for the Pompano Beach Branch Library. After earning the doctorate she taught at Florida Atlantic University as an instructor in the College of Education. In 1985 she was recruited to teach at the University of South Florida, School of Information. She was the first Black professor at the School. Upon retirement she was honored as Emeritus Professor. Classes Smith has taught include History of Children's Literature and Multicultural Materials for Children and Young Adults. Smith wrote "Poetry of the African Diaspora: In Search of Common Ground Between Anglo and Latin America" and in 2000 wrote the introduction to Lift Every Voice and Sing: A Pictorial Tribute to the Negro National Anthem. She was part of the Alice G. Smith Lecture Committee at the University of South Florida, School of Information that celebrated the Lecture's founder and brought Ashley Bryan as 10th lecturer.

Dr. Smith was a founding member and first president of the South Palm Beach County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta in 1984. She was honored as a "Woman of Excellence" in 2011.

Henrietta M. Smith (May 2, 1922 – April 21, 2021) was an American academic, librarian and storyteller, who edited four editions of the Coretta Scott King Award collection published by the American Library Association. In 2008, she was honored with the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes significant contributions to library service to children and ALSC. She is also the recipient of the 2011 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement for her body of work as a significant and lasting literary contribution. She was honored during the 2014 Carle Honors Celebration by the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art for her life's work as a champion of diversity in children's literature.

Henrietta Mays Smith was born on May 2, 1922 in Harlem, New York. She is the daughter of Nettie Johnson and Henry Lucas Mays. Smith originally wanted to be a Latin instructor, but eventually studied English and history at Hunter College, and received her B.A. in 1943. Then she attended Columbia University, and earned her B.S. and M.S. in Library Science in 1946 and 1959. In 1975, she completed her doctorate degree in curriculum and supervision at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.