Smith, Otis Milton, 1922-1994

Attorney, Michigan state official, justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, 1961-1966, regent of the University of Michigan Board of Regents, 1967-1971, general counsel and vice president of the General Motors Corporation.

Otis M. Smith was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on February 20, 1922. He received his undergraduate education at Fisk University and Syracuse University. He received his law degree in 1950 from the Catholic University of America, Washington D.C. Over the course of his legal career he was admitted to practice in Michigan, the District of Columbia and the United States Supreme Court.

Otis M. Smith started his legal career as an assistant prosecutor in Flint, Michigan in 1950. He was appointed chairman of the Public Service Commission by Governor G. Mennen Williams in 1957. In 1959 Smith was appointed state auditor general of Michigan, a post to which he was subsequently elected in 1960. In 1961, he was named a justice of the Supreme Court of the State of Michigan, a post to which he was subsequently elected in 1962. Throughout his public service career, Smith was well known as one of the United States' highest ranking African-American elected or appointed officials.

Smith lost his bid for reelection to the State Supreme Court of the State of Michigan in 1966. In 1967 Smith accepted an appointment with the legal division of General Motors Corporation.

In 1967 Smith was named by Governor George Romney to the University of Michigan Board of Regents. Smith served out the remainder of Allen R. Sorenson's elected term but chose not to run for reelection in 1971. Smith's tenure as a university regent was laced with numerous incidences of campus unrest and disharmony within the university community.

Smith was named Associate General Counsel and Vice President of General Motors Corporation in 1974. He was elected to the post of General Counsel in 1977 by the GM Board of Directors, thus becoming one of the highest ranking African-Americans in corporate America. Smith retired from General Motors Corporation on 1 April, 1984 and went on to serve as counsel to the Detroit, Michigan law firm of Lewis, White and Clay.

Otis Smith died 29 June 1994 after a four year bout with prostate cancer at the age of 72.