Lillian Smith (author)
Lillian Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | Lillian Eugenia Smith December 12, 1897 Jasper, Florida, U.S. |
| Died | September 28, 1966 (aged 68) |
| Resting place | Laurel Falls: Clayton, Georgia, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | American |
| Citizenship | American |
| Education | Piedmont College, Peabody Conservatory |
| Literary movement | Civil Rights Movement |
| Notable works | Strange Fruit (novel) |
| Partner | Paula Snelling |
Lillian Eugenia Smith (December 12, 1897 – September 28, 1966) was a writer and social critic of the Southern United States, known for both her non-fiction and fiction works, including the best-selling novel Strange Fruit (1944). Smith was a White woman who openly embraced controversial positions on matters of race and gender equality. She was a southern liberal who was unafraid to criticize segregation and to work toward the dismantling of Jim Crow laws at a time when such actions virtually guaranteed social ostracism.