Eric Smith is a national lecturer, teacher, author, historian, and television talk show host.  He received his Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and Masters of Arts Degree in History from Chicago State University. He has been a recipient of the Charles Bowser Scholarship awarded by the Elgin Genealogical Society of Elgin, Illinois, given for outstanding work in the field of genealogy and history. He is also a member of Phi Alpha Theta, National Honors Society; for Graduate students in the field of History.

Eric is the Past President of the Afro-American Genealogical & Historical Society of Chicago. Over the years he has had articles published and on the web, in the Afro-American Genealogical & Historical Society of Chicago Newsletter, The Iowa Genealogical Journal "Hawkeye Heritage, Public Television's, (PBS) FRONTLINE, Jefferson's Blood, and other publications.

His book Oak Hill: a Portrait of Black Life in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, (Los Angeles: Amen-Ra Theological Seminary Press, 2006), appeared in September, 2006. Eric is currently working on his new book Journey of a Thousand Sorrows: A Search for my Native American Identity the Narragansett, of Rhode Island, The Nehantic of Connecticut and the Montauk of Long Island, New York. He has also been a guest on local television shows discussing history and genealogy as well as hosting a show featuring the AAGHSC.

Eric is also a frequent contributor to the website of Dr. Quintard Taylor of the University of Washington's, online encyclopedia blackpast.org. Eric has also given educational presentations on history and genealogy in the Chicago Public Schools, The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, The W.E.B. Du Bois Conference at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and William Penn University, Oskaloosa, Iowa. He is also the national contact person on the American Civil War website for the Nineteenth Wisconsin Regiment, the Seventh Minnesota Regiment, and the Eleventh Minnesota Regiment.

Eric has given genealogy related presentations at several of the Annual Afro-American Genealogy & Historical Society of Chicago's Conferences. His most recent presentations were given at the Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society Inc., National Conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, October, 2006 and the Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society Inc., National Conference to be held in Boston, Massachusetts, October, 2007.

Eric A. Smith,  1028 E. 168th Street, South Holland, IL  60473
708.954.6186 (phone)     ericsmith11@cal.berkeley.edu