Warren Allen Smith (October 27, 1921 – January 9, 2017) was an American writer,

humanist Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humanism" ha ...

and

gay rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Not ...

activist. A

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

veteran and an outspoken atheist, he dubbed himself as "the atheist in a foxhole".

Biography

From 1942 to 1946, Smith served in the U.S. Army. Originally a clerk working in the United States Army Armor School at

Fort Knox Fort Knox is a United States Army installation in Kentucky, south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Elizabethtown. It is adjacent to the United States Bullion Depository (also known as Fort Knox), which is used to house a larg ...

, Smith landed at "Omaha" beach,

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

in October 1944. He then served as a high-ranking administrative clerk in France, and helped in the clerical responsibilities of withdrawing US soldiers after the war. Smith insisted that the religious affiliation inscription on his dogtag be Unitarian, and later 'None', instead of the usual P (for

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

), C (

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

) or H (Hebrew -

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

). In 1961, Smith started the Variety Recording Studio, a major independent company off Broadway,

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, with his business partner and longtime companion Fernando Rodolfo de Jesus Vargas Zamora. Smith ran the company for almost thirty years (1961–90). In 1969, Smith participated in the

Stonewall riots The Stonewall riots (also known as the Stonewall uprising, Stonewall rebellion, Stonewall revolution, or simply Stonewall) were a series of spontaneous riots and demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of ...

. Smith was one of the signatories of the 1973

Humanist Manifesto II ''Humanist Manifesto II'', written in 1973 by humanists Paul Kurtz and Edwin H. Wilson, was an update to the previous ''Humanist Manifesto'' published in 1933, and the second entry in the '' Humanist Manifesto'' series. It begins with a stat ...

as well as the Humanist Manifesto III in 2003. In 2015, Smith took control the website Philosopedia, intended to be a resource for philosophers as well as a comprehensive index of the world's most prominent atheists. He died on January 9, 2017, at the age of 95.

Award

* Leavey Award, by

Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge (now Founding Forward) is an American non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian educational organization, founded in 1949. The foundation is located adjacent to the Valley Forge National Historical Park, near Vall ...

1985 - was awarded $7,500 by architect Charles Luckman as one of fifteen recipients of the annual Leavey Awards, received for a syllabus to teach Adam Smith clubs and classes in high schools.

Works

* ''Who's Who in Hell: A Handbook and International Directory for Humanists, Freethinkers, Naturalists, Rationalists, and Non-Theists'', (NY: Barricade Books, 2000) . The work received a front-page review/interview in ''

The New York Observer ''The New York Observer'' was a weekly newspaper established in 1987. In 2016, it ceased print publication and became the online-only newspaper ''Observer''. The media site focuses on culture, real estate, media, politics and the entertainment ...

'' and a

CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...

interview by Jeanne Moos. When the books were all sold, Smith transferred the 1,237 printed pages as the first of the 4,850 philosopedia.org content pages.https://web.archive.org/web/20081012145222/http://philosopedia.org:80/index.php?title=Who%27s_Who_in_Hell * ''Gossip from Across the Pond: Articles Published in the United Kingdom's Gay and Lesbian Humanist, 1996-2005'', New York, N.Y.: chelCpress, 2005. *2005 ''Cruising the Deuce'' - a serious study of the 1940s to 1980s subculture on New York City's 42nd Street; foreword by Dr. Vern L. Bullough, fellow and former president, Society for the Scientific Study of Sex; copy was requested by the Kinsey Institute;

John Waters John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, actor, writer, and artist. He rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films, including '' Multiple Maniacs'' (1970), '' Pink Flamingos'' (1972) and '' Fe ...

asked to use the book as a prop in a 2005 movie. * '' Celebrities in Hell'' (NY: ChelCbooks, 2010). - a listing of contemporary non-revelationists including

Woody Allen Heywood Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American filmmaker, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades. Allen has received many List of awards and nominations received by Woody Allen, accolade ...

Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Widely regarded as one of the greatest cinema actors of the 20th century,''Movies in American History: An Encyclopedia''

Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however, Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress whose Katharine Hepburn on screen and stage, career as a Golden Age of Hollywood, Hollywood leading lady spanned six decades. She was known for her headstrong ...

Christopher Reeve Christopher D'Olier Reeve (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004) was an American actor, activist, director, and author. He amassed Christopher Reeve on stage and screen, several stage and screen credits in his 34-year career, including playin ...

, and

Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American guitarist, composer, and bandleader. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed Rock music, rock, Pop music, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestra ...

. *''In the Heart of Showbiz, A Biographical Triography of Variety Recording Studio, Fernando Vargas, and Warren Allen Smith'' (NY:ChelCbooks, 2011) - an autobiography

Columns

* 1994-1998 - "Humanist Potpourri". ''Free Inquiry; "Paul Cadmus: Artist-Humanist," August 1996 * 1970s - "Manhattan Scene," in St. Thomas' ''Daily News'' and twenty other West Indian newspapers

References

External links