Harold Allen Smith (October 8, 1909 – June 4, 1998) was an American politician who served eight terms as a Republican representative from

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

from 1957 to 1973.

Biography

Born in Dixon,

Lee County, Illinois Lee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 34,145. Its county seat is Dixon. The Dixon, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Lee County. History The area's ...

, October 8, 1909, Smith was an F.B.I. agent and later a member of the

California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature (the upper house being the California State Senate). The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, Califor ...

from the 43rd district from 1949 to 1957, a presidential elector for California in

1956 Events January * January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan after 57 years. * January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian Missionary, missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, E ...

, and a representative from

California's 20th congressional district California's 20th congressional district is a congressional district in California's congressional districts, California including much of the southern and southeastern part of the state's Central Valley (California), Central Valley. The distri ...

from 1957 to 1973.

Tenure

Smith voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Janu ...

, as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, but voted against the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and

1968 Events January–February * January 1968, January – The I'm Backing Britain, I'm Backing Britain campaign starts spontaneously. * January 5 – Prague Spring: Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Cze ...

and the

Voting Rights Act of 1965 The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights move ...

. He was also a delegate from California to the

Republican National Convention The Republican National Convention (RNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1856 by the Republican Party in the United States. They are administered by the Republican National Committee. The goal o ...

in 1960.

Death

Smith died in

Glendale, California Glendale is a city located primarily in the Verdugo Mountains region, with a small portion in the San Fernando Valley, of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is located about north of downtown Los Angeles. As of 2024, Glendale ha ...

on June 4, 1998, and was interred at

Forest Lawn Memorial Park Forest Lawn may refer to: Cemeteries California * Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries, a chain of cemeteries in southern California * Forest Lawn Cemetery (Cathedral City), California * Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale), California * Fore ...

in Glendale.

Family

He was married to the former Elizabeth McKay. They had two sons, Lauren and Stephen Smith.

References

External links

Join California H. Allen Smith
Republican Party members of the California State Assembly Federal Bureau of Investigation agents 1909 births 1998 deaths Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from California 1956 United States presidential electors 20th-century members of the California State Legislature 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives {{california-Representative-stub