Stephen Austin Smith was born in Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas, on May 15, 1949.
Smith attended the University of Arkansas and graduated with a bachelor's in communication in 1972 and a master's in communication in 1974. He earned a Ph.D. in communication from Northwestern University in 1983.
Smith was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1971, becoming the youngest member to ever serve in the General Assembly, and served two terms. He worked for Bill Clinton in positions including campaign manager, executive assistant, and chief of staff. Smith was later elected to the Arkansas Constitutional Convention of 1979 and 1980.
Smith taught at the University of Arkansas from 1983 to 2015. He was a visiting fellow at several universities both in the US and abroad. Smith implemented and led annual summer study abroad courses at Oxford and Cambridge from 1994 to 2014.
Smith has written for many publications and authored numerous books. He is co-author of Stateswomen: A Centennial History of Arkansas Women Legislators, 1922–2022.
#1: Composite image of early photo of Stephen A. Smith and still frame from Pryor Center video interview
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#2: Stephen A. Smith with his father, Captain Austin Smith; 1953
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#3: Stephen A. Smith with his mother, Margaret, and sister, Nancy; Easter 1958
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#4: Stephen A. Smith with his parents, Austin and Margaret, and sister, Nancy
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: Stephen A. Smith, Huntsville Elementary School
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#6: Stephen A. Smith, captain of the Huntsville High School Eagles football team; 1966
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#7: Stephen A. Smith in University of Arkansas undergraduate portrait; 1968
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#8: Stephen A. Smith at political debate, University of Arkansas campus; Fayetteville, Arkansas, 1972
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#9: Stephen A. Smith (2nd from right) with Dale Bumpers (seated) and other sponsors at the signing of a statewide Kindergarten bill; Little Rock, Arkansas, 1973
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#10: Stephen A. Smith (right) with Hugh Kincaid (left) and Rudy Moore in the Arkansas House of Representatives; Little Rock, Arkansas, 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#11: Stephen A. Smith (left) with Greg Hawkins during the Clinton for Congress campaign; 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: Stephen A. Smith (right) with Bill Clinton; House Chamber, Arkansas State Capitol, Little Rock, Arkansas, 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: Stephen A. Smith with his son, Caleb; 1978
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: Stephen A. Smith (seated) with Governor Bill Clinton and Caleb Smith; Governor's Office, Little Rock, Arkansas, 1979
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#15: Stephen A. Smith (center) with John Danner and Rudy Moore, Governor's Executive Assistants, at a press conference
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#16: Stephen A. Smith (center) with delegates Wooten Epes (left) and Archie Schaffer at the Arkansas Constitutional Convention
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#17: Stephen A. Smith; University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 1985
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#18: Stephen A. Smith's office at the University of Arkansas in Kimpel Hall, Room 430; Fayetteville, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#19: Stephen A. Smith with his son, Caleb, and daughter, Maggie; 1989
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#20: Stephen A. Smith on the Truman Balcony at the White House; Washington, DC, 1993
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: Stephen A. Smith (2nd from right) on a morning run with (from left) Rudy Moore, President Bill Clinton, a secret service officer, and Mike Colson; Washington, DC, 1993
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#22: Stephen A. Smith as a visiting fellow at Oxford University; 1994
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#23: Stephen A. Smith (right) with President Bill Clinton after Clinton was awarded and Honorary Doctorate; Rhodes House, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, 1994
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#24: Stephen A. Smith with Lindsley Armstrong Smith at their wedding; Manchester College Chapel, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, 1994
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#25: Stephen A. Smith (top left) with his son, Caleb, wife, Lindsley (in red), and daughter, Maggie
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#26: Stephen A. Smith with LIndsley Smith in War Room on Election Night; Little Rock, Arkansas, 1996
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#27: Stephen A. Smith speaking at Speakers Corner; London, 2002
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#28: Stephen A. Smith, President of Northwest Arkansas Labor Council, speaking for Affordable Health Care; 2009
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#29: Stephen A. Smith (left) with Mayor Lioneld Jordan; Fayetteville Pride Parade, Fayetteville, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#30: Stephen A. Smith (on statue) with students at II Porcellino; Florence, Italy
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#31: Stephen A. Smith with study abroad students at The Orchard; Grantchester, Cambridge, England
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#32: Stephen A. Smith (back row, right) with sudy abroad students at Brasenose College, University of Oxforf; Oxford, England
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#33: Plaque commemorating the founding of Lambda Pi Eta national communication honor society by Stephen A. Smith
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#34: Stephen A. Smith, Board Chair of Clinton House Museum, in front of the Clinton House Museum with a sign supporting the Washington County Historical Society; Fayetteville, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#35: Stephen A. Smith, former board member and Champion of Literacy awardee, at the Fayetteville Public Library; Fayetteville, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#36: Stephen A. and Lindsley Armstrong Smith at the Washington County Historical Society Headquarters
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#37: Stephen A. Smith with former University of Arkansas classmate Judge Wendell Griffen
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#38: Stephen A. Smith with Skip Rutherford and Kay Kelly Arnold at FOB Reunion
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#39: Stephen A. Smith with Governor Jim Guy Tucker and Southern Methodist University professor Rita Kirk
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#40: Stephen A. Smith with Judge Bill Wilson at Herman's Ribhouse; Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2022
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#41: Stephen A. Smith (3rd from left) with other members of the Commission on Freedom of Expression at a dinner honoring Mary Beth Tinker
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#42: Stephen A. Smith at graduation ceremony; 2015
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#43: Stephen A. and Lindsley Armstrong Smith; Madrid, New Mexico
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#44: Stephen A. Smith (center) with Jim House and Lindsley Armstrong Smith on bike trails near the Clinton House Museum; Fayetteville, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#45: Stephen A. Smith; Edmund Pettus Bridge, Selma, Alabama
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#46: Stephen A. Smith; Peru
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#47: Stephen A. Smith under The Thinker by Rodin
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#48: Stephen A. Smith (2nd from left) with Senator David Pryor, Skip Rutherford, Hoyt Purvis, and Barbara Pryor
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#49: Stephen and Lindsley at launch of Stateswomen : A Centennial History of Arkansas Women Legislators at the Clinton Presidential Center; Little Rock, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#50: Stephen A. Smith
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#51: Still frame from video interview with Stephen A. Smith; Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2022
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
