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Smith tried to find work as a teacher, but she was unable to find employment due to her race; Waterloo did not hire
African American teachers until 1952. After being hired as a house cleaner, Smith later created the Waterloo Suffragette Council, which focused on women's rights. She was part of the
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Smith was included in a 2021 traveling museum exhibit titled "Toward a
Universal Suffrage: African American Women in Iowa and the Vote for All". The exhibit was created by the Iowa Department of Human Rights' Office on the Status of Women, the Central Iowa Community Museum, and the Carrie Chapman
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157:, in 1916, as the first black student to graduate with a bachelor's degree in English. She was one of the first black students to graduate from there, and Smith's cousin, Murda Beason, graduated from the same university six months prior. Smith was a violinist and singer, often performing at
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Iowa
Federation of Colored Women's Clubs as an officer and chairwoman of suffrage. After being hired as a teacher, she taught in
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445:"Behind the creation of "Toward a Universal Suffrage: African American Women in Iowa and the Vote for All""
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129:. Smith was included in a 2021 traveling exhibit honoring Iowa African American women suffragists.
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121:. She was the first African American student to graduate with a bachelor's degree in English from
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117:; October 23, 1891 – October 28, 1961) was an American teacher, civil rights activist, and
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306:"IWF Celebrates Black History in Iowa: Vivian Smith and Murda Beason"
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145:, where her parents worked as hotel cooks. Shortly after the
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332:"May Harmony Prevail: The Early History of Black Waterloo"
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Benkowich, Allyn; Corey, Kristen (August 25, 2020).
365:"Profiles of Courage and Persistence: Vivian Smith"
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165:. She married LeRoy Watts on October 23, 1925, in
125:State Teachers College, which is now known as the
220:"Iowa, Old Age Tax Assistance Records, 1934-1958"
308:. The Iowa Women's Foundation. February 15, 2021
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147:Illinois Central shopmen's strike of 1911
159:Iowa Federation of Colored Women's Clubs
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137:Smith was born on October 23, 1891, in
198:Catt Center for Women and Politics at
487:American women civil rights activists
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392:"Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934"
280:Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
169:. She died on October 28, 1961, in
502:University of Northern Iowa alumni
163:African Methodist Episcopal Church
161:meetings. She was a member of the
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273:"Vivian Smith (c. 1894–unknown)"
16:American suffragist (born 1891)
95:Teacher, civil rights leader,
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342:Iowa State Historical Society
507:People from Fulton, Kentucky
492:African-American suffragists
245:"United States Census, 1900"
517:African-American Methodists
127:University of Northern Iowa
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330:Neymeyer, Robert (1980).
37:Smith at graduation, 1916
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512:Educators from Kentucky
167:Black Hawk County, Iowa
190:in Iowa as well as in
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497:Suffragists from Iowa
449:Iowa State University
200:Iowa State University
105:Vivian Beatrice Watts
425:. October 31, 1961
417:"Mrs. LeRoy Watts"
119:women's suffragist
97:women's suffragist
155:Cedar Falls, Iowa
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87:Vivian Watts
70:(1961-10-28)
25:Vivian Smith
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482:1961 deaths
477:1891 births
471:Categories
348:January 3,
206:References
188:Blairsburg
49:1891-10-23
192:Illinois
184:Kamrar
177:Career
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78:, U.S.
59:, U.S.
276:(PDF)
114:Smith
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186:and
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65:Died
43:Born
110:née
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
