Daniel Morris Smith

1949-2024

Daniel Morris Smith, Junior, was born at Taborian Hospital in Mound Bayou, Mississippi, on April 11, 1949, into a family of educators and legacy builders. His father, Daniel M. Smith, Sr., and mother, Arzola D. Smith, sought and achieved greatness in Cleveland, Mississippi. While his parents’ achievements included opening paths for their students and the community, Dan’s pursuits furthered their gains beyond his hometown. He passed away December 30, 2024.

As a valedictorian in the 1966 high school class at East Side High School, he excelled in mathematics and science. He was a veracious learner with multiple scholarly pursuits. Beyond academics, his early interests included playing the saxophone, and studying Greek mythology, chess, and billiards.

Smith left his hometown to attend college during the 1960s to 1970s, a decade of dissension and change. He graduated from Howard University with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Physics. E joined AAPT in 1991 and was a member of the Southern Atlantic Coast Section of AAPT. He served on the Editorial Board of The Physics Teacher, The Committee on Minorities (Diversity) in Physics, the Programs Committee and on the Committee on Space Science and Astronomy.

Smith’s first job was as an engineer for International Business Machines Corporation (IBM). His IBM tenure was brief as he took a leave of absence to attend Northeastern University, where he completed a Doctor of Philosophy in Physics. He was a member of the staff at Northeastern University until 1995. As a strong advocate for historically black institutions, he accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Physics at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He became a tenured professor of Physics in 2008. Affectionately known as “Dr. Dan,” he dedicated much of his life to education as a physics professor. He made significant contributions to The Algebra Project on increasing math literacy nationwide. His intellectual curiosity and his love for sharing knowledge inspired many students and colleagues throughout his distinguished career.

As a philanthropist at heart, Smith believed in giving back to his community through random acts of kindness, which left an indelible mark on those who had the privilege of knowing him. Numerous people mention his “random acts of kindness,” such as helping a neighbor with computer issues and gifts given when only mentioned by the recipient in conversation.

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