Virgil Clark Smith, a lawmaker turned judge who helped reshape Michigan’s courts and Detroit’s schools, died Monday, June 23. He was 79.
Smith battled COPD for years before complications led to kidney failure. He was hospitalized on April 7 and died peacefully surrounded by loved ones.
He spent more than two decades in Lansing, first in the House from 1977 to 1988, then in the Senate through 2000. He made history as the first Black minority floor leader in the Michigan Senate and made waves with sweeping court reforms in the ’80s. He also helped steer the controversial 1999 reorganization of Detroit Public Schools.
After losing a bid for Wayne County prosecutor in 2000, he joined Prosecutor Mike Duggan’s team as chief of staff. Gov. Jennifer Granholm later appointed him to the 3rd Circuit Court, where he served 14 years and became the court’s first and only Black chief judge.
When he wasn’t rewriting policy or presiding over cases, Smith could be found riding his motor scooter or kayaking down the Detroit River. Funeral arrangements are forthcoming.
