Code,991008
Subject,Rev. Hilton Smith
Date,7/8/2014
Interviewer,Benne Christian and Willette Crawford
Abstract,"Hilton Smith was the first African American senior Vice President of a construction company in the country. He has worked for Turner Construction for 43 years. Smith recounts his work with the Civil Rights Movement, working to get the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the national mall, and his calling to the church. "
Tags,"Nelson Mandela, NAACP,Maya Angelou, Martin Luther King Jr."
Special Notes,Phone ringing and vibrating at various points; car alarm goes off at 1:28
Minutes: ,1:36:00
0,Could leave Episcopal church and still go listen to singing at baptist church
1,Worked under Carl Stokes during Civil Rights Movement. East side and West Side were divided by race. 
2,"Highlight was being part of Civil Rights Movement. Remembers seeing the whites only and colored only signs, marching in CRM. Set foundation for the rest of life."
3,Pledged Alpha Phi Alpha because of Martin Luther King Jr. Became friends with King's assistant. 
4,Experience of his lifetime was meeting and having conversation with President Mandela in New York.
5,Mandela said vote would allow South Africans to do something for first time in their lives and how it could change their lives. Describes a picture of South Africans standing in line to vote.
6,Some South Africans were wheeled in barrels or carried so they could go to polls to vote. 
7,Anyone who never thought they should be passionate about voting should look at South Africans and what they did. No one should not want to vote. Father was a career military man.
8,Father fought for rights of  fellow African American troops. 
9,Stood alone when asking about equal opportunities and was at one point denied a promotion because of it. Changed that and was one of the highest ranking non comm officers. Made Smith never have a defeated attitude. 
10,Admired John Johnson of Ebony and Jett. Started company by telling banks he wanted to buy a Cadillac to get a loan and start Johnson publishing company.
11,Learned from listening to Johnson and reading his books that failure is not an option. Allowed Smith to adapt philosophy that nothing beats a try but a failure therefore we must try. 
12,He made it because people motivated him and told him not to give up. Was not only living for his family but also for his community and was motivated by that.
13,"Has been blessed with being humble, nothing he has accomplished has not made him higher than anyone else. Everything he has done has been because God wanted him to go farther. "
14,"Used to think it was every man or woman for themselves, but then went back to childhood upbringing and found there was a better way than stepping on people. Knew he was not a part of Satan's work."
15,Gives God all praise and thanks. 
16,"When he first went to college didn't go to church, instead would go to gym and play basketball. One day after game a friend said why don't we start going to church."
17,People at church would feed them and take them back to college and that molded their lives.Graduated on time and was able to get a job in Cleveland. Stopped going to church again after graduation.
18,Has been with construction company for 43 years. Will not knock someone out of way to get something.
19,Came to know Dorothy Hike because he sponsored her.
20,She told people the only way she would go to things was if Hilton Smith was there so people would invite him. Became friends with many people in the Civil Rights Movement
21,Bringing minorities into construction trade. Friends with Ernest Green of Little Rock nine. 
22,Met Maya Angelou on several occasions. She was a commanding but nice person. They were developing memorial to Dr. King in Washington. 
23,Worked on the memorial for almost 20 years. She would correct people for saying her name wrong. Her spirit was contagious. The way she spoke would make people want to go out and do things.
24,There were five members of his fraternity that sat at table saying there ought to be a memorial to King on the mall. Went about making it a reality.
25,"One of them worked for National Park Service, put together the proposed legislation. President Reagan signed it and they got blessing of King family. Set up a committee for funds."
26,Became Martin Luther King Memorial Foundation. Were able to raise 120 million for the memorial. Anyone who gave no matter how much had name printed at memorial. Tommy Hilfiger led movement to bring in professionals. 
27,Was old and young people alike to make it. Is the most visited memorial in DC. Fist six months after completed over 2 million people visited.Highlight of professional career.
28,Gilford company worked on project and is a blessing. Dr. Angelou saw mistake and had to change one of the quotes.
29,Those working on it worked overtime and weekends. Is an associate pastor in Glenville at Great Abyssinia Baptist church. Joined the church the Sunday after his late wife and he were married in 1971. Never thought he'd be involved in church.
30,"Enjoys working with Glenville community, is a community that can thrive and move on to greater things. There is so much history there that shouldn't go by wayside."
31,Working hard to get African American cultural gardens completed. Slow process but you can never give up. Will inspire people to come back to Glenville or stay in Glenville.
32,Have 105 apartments in Hanna building and all sold in first week. Just announced Cleveland will host Republican National Convention will help.
33,Lots of construction going on in downtown. City is ready to rise to new heights. Have to create the positivism we want to see in Greater Cleveland.
34,"Would say to young people to encourage them to stay in the game of life, without life would not be. If you stay in it do everything you can to help somebody. To fall is bad but to remain down is worse, get up, rise up and deal with people who want to do something."
35,"Dr. Angelou used to say if you learn, teach. If you get, give. Accept responsibilities and do better. If you've done wrong God will allow you to make right. "
36,"Young people can't just live for today but have to live for tomorrow. Do rather than criticize. Admit when you are wrong, then there is nothing someone can say to you. Have faith- faith is when you step out on nothing but believe nothing is there."
37,Make your dreams work. No way he ever thought he would be able to do a lot of the stuff he has done. 
38,Couldn't just wait for something to happen but had to make it happen. Only way people know his accomplishments is to Google him. 
39,Have to do what you believe to make things better. 
40,Have to be honest and work smart. Working smart is better than working hard. Treat people right. Look out for others along with self. 
41,"The way you look has nothing to do with the way you think. If you think smartly there is no way you will not succeed. He doesn't have to tell people about him, lets character speak. Who would have thought a black man would run McDonald's, Time Warner."
42,"Get there by not watching clock but watching their mind. No such thing as succeeding because their pretty, succeed because their pretty smart. "
43,"Friend Mike Roberts, who owns hotels, lets knowledge work for him. President Obama has accomplished what no one else has "
44,"racism is keeping Obama from doing everything he wants to do, but he never says anything about it just keeps on going. "
45,"A lot of folks don't go to church, but should go somewhere to help somebody and will be helped as well. Has never seen someone who helps others not succeed. A lot of young people are given more than they should be given, have to learn to work hard."
46,"Young man, Devon McClain graduated from Clemson University and is now in charge of construction of building there. Will be first General Manager of a Turner office that is African American. "
47,"Smith is going to visit McClain soon so he can see him in charge of that project. Don't get too high, because can be knocked down from the pedestal. "
48,"Cannot forget from whence you come. Outside of college campus when people see students with sweatshirts on,carrying books, going to library they are role models. "
49,"Smith didn't know what he wanted to be but knew he wanted to be something and would be the best at it. Has a commitment to excellence. Don't tell your own story, let someone else tell it and let work you do speak for itself."
50,Received a Lifetime Achievement Award. Was humbling experience.
51,"Left him speechless. His son presented the award to him. Was in first class at CSU- Masters in Urban Studies. Didn't finish program, switched majors to Labor Relations."
52,"Gardner- was first black president of a bank, Cleveland Trust. Smith called him and  asked Gardner to be a reference. Was called by director of program and told if he had him as reference didn't have to fill out application. "
53,Asked how to repay him and he said to just do something in the community. 
54,Over years has served on about 60 boards in Cleveland. Always goes back to Gardner telling him to help somebody and community. One day called W. Walker and they met in his office. 
55,"Walker told him that he knew who he was, told him not to join only black organizations but also white ones to be well rounded. Smith joined the City Club."
56,Smith became first black to chair the committee and bring people in for City Club. Was able to bring George Bush when he was head of CIA to club.
57,In you are going to be in community have to be part of entire community. Also joined United Way and helped start the United Black Fund. 
58,"Do not have to go large, just pick some things out that you want to do and it will work out. "
59,"Anyone you know who has not yet achieved, say hello to them and tell them you know they can do it. "
60,Make sure children who are doing well continue to do well and work with those who aren't.
61,"Many young people feel they have no hope, so if anyone feels they can give them hope they should. "
62,"Any encouraging word you can give you should, and then give one to yourself. "
63,"Joe McCullough told Smith he had no future at Turner, Smith said that gave him a future. Every time he got an award he gave it to Joe. Lived on that negative comment."
64,That was his direction to go forward. Often have to turn negative into a positive. 
65,"If you smile for you on the journey, it will be a greater smile when the journey is finished. Smith was elected president of NAACP"
66,Would tell those who say we don't need NAACP have rocks in their heads. NAACP does not have as many members right now because people think they don't need orgs anymore
67,"When Cleveland is 2nd in killings, we need these types of organizations. We are more in need than it was 100 years ago. Look at graduation rates in our high schools."
68,When there are young people cursing out elderly and elderly are scared to come out at night we have need. Young people are not finishing school because they can't afford it. 
69,"A lot of people think it's over now, but these orgs are still needed."
70,First week he became chair of NAACP was 137 bullets and woman but her baby in a trashcan in Twinsburg. Still a great need for affirmative action.Must turn to God. 
71,Proverb 24:10- If I faint in the day of adversity my strength is small. Must remain strong and diligent and say there is a better way.
72,"There is not a day that goes by that all of us do not have a down experience, just have to keep on. "
73,
74,The church has to go from the pew to the pavement; can't just have church on Sundays. 
75,"Have to go out and get the people in, not in selfish manner but one in which the world is bettered. If you stay in church seven days a week you never help anyone else. The Lord walked the streets to save people."
76,Was transferred to NYC to work at Turner's headquarters. Left the city and moved to Connecticut. A friend invited him to the Black Agenda meeting. 
77,"Told them he was looking for a church with good singing, and they said to go to Union Baptist."
78,He went and when choir started singing thought they were voices of heaven. Was lead by Tilman Brown. Preacher gave sermon on confessing sorrows and asking forgiveness.
79,Felt preacher was talking to me. Joined the church and then one day one of the Deacons asked him to join the Deacon board. Told him to think about it.
80,Helped him that they never pressured him into it. A few weeks later he said yes. Were told that it was a pastoral class
81,Class would start about being a Deacon but then would shift to knowing the word. He became a Deacon and eventually had to lead service. Did so for about a month. People told pastor he was a preacher. 
82,When he led service people would come. Went to a prayer meeting one night and a lady told him he was a preacher he just didn't know it.
83,"Smith is fan of football, NY Giants favorite team. One Sunday he went to service early "
84,"Was invited to breakfast by a church member, in car a tape was playing and a song came on called I'm Clean"
85,Had never heard song like that in his life. Asked to borrow tape and man gave it to him.
86,Kept thinking about the song. Pastor asked him what's on his mind and to just think about it because he knew.
87,Pastor asked him about his sleep the night before
88,said Smith was fighting his calling. 
89,"Said lord spoke to him- gave him all these things he wanted, went into office and sat there. It was his calling. "
90,"Called the Priest of Gospel. Talked to spiritual leader, told them he was being called but didn't go to divinity school. Was told Jesus didn't either, had his whole life to go. "
91,Called pastor to tell him he had accepted call to preach the gospel. Met with pastor that afternoon
92,Told pastor he was going to minister to black corporate executives because they have lost the way. Pastor said that's your ministry. Went home and called his parents.
93,His father said he already knew it because he had a dream about it last week and his mother had said she knew it the night before. The next Sunday pastor made the announcement.
94,When he sat at altar people rose and came and shook his hand and hugged him and choir started singing. Knew he was being transferred back to Cleveland
95,"Pastor in Cleveland had him preach his first sermon on New Years Eve and a man heard his sermon and joined the church. January 20, 1991 he was ordained."
96,Goes back to Conn. every year. 
97,