Albert Lewis Smith

On July 25, 1945, the world received Albert Lewis Smith, delivered by a midwife to Abraham Lincoln and Ollie Smith in Lithonia, Georgia. There were 12 children born to this couple. Albert attended Bruce St. Elementary and Bruce St. High School, where he played in the band and was a first section trumpet player, a member of the chorus, and a member of the NAACP. He and his brothers also worked at the historic Goddard Store in Lithonia, formed a gospel group and sang with Carolyn Reynolds. So you see, Albert was an activist and living on purpose even as a teen. Albert went on to attend Morehouse College where he majored in Political Science and for a season joined Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), working as a community organizer, assisting migrant and seasonal farm workers in rural Hillsborough County, Florida. After returning to Atlanta, Al was employed by the Atlanta Journal Constitution where he held several managerial positions, and after 27 years, he retired in 1994. He went on to work for the Atlanta public school system (APS) in the Department of Contract Compliance; while there, he became a certification specialist and contract compliance specialist. After three years with APS, Albert was recruited to organize a certification program in the Governor’s Office of Small and Minority Business under Governor Roy Barnes Administration. In 2003, he was hired by the GA Department of Transportation (GDOT) EEO Office as a disadvantaged business enterprise coordinator, where he certified several hundred minority and women-owned businesses as well as conducted internal EEO and contract compliance investigations. Albert became the “Go-to-Guy” for all things interpreting and explaining federal regulations before retiring again in 2013. Not one to sit around, retirement was not in Albert’s vocabulary. He founded Unique Consulting, Inc., where he devoted his efforts to assisting minority and women-owned businesses in obtaining certifications with various government entities across the United States. Under his guidance and leadership, countless organizations have been transformed. Albert was a board member of the African-American Partnership with United Way of Metro Atlanta, Board Chair for Metro Atlanta Respite and Development Services (MARDS), a board member of NAMC Georgia Chapter and employed by Technique Concrete Construction as compliance director since 2013. A life-long member of First Saint Paul AME Lithonia, Georgia Rev. Dr. Marvin L. Crawford, Pastor. Preceding Albert in death were his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln and Ollie Smith; and sisters, Rebecca Harris, Annie Florence Thompson, Eldoris Williams, Mary Hughey, Shirley Roberts and Jeralene Gaither. He is survived by his children, Twanda Black (Emory), Zannie Black, and Patrick Smith (Yolanda); brothers, James Smith (Dorothy) and LaSalle Smith (Evelyn); 9 Grandchildren, Quentin Black, Derrick Black, Devin Black, Brian Dudley, Zannie Black IV, Elijah Smith, Joshua Smith, Sidney Black and Zevin Black numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and special friends, Anthony and Joylette Toney. Albert will always be remembered for his engaging personality and welcoming smile. https://vimeo.com/event/4022174

Tributes

Albert Lewis Smith

July 25, 1945 - January 8, 2024