On October 10, 2024, Tougaloo College set in stone The Robert L. Smith, M.D. Center of Excellence in Rural and Community Health. This tangible “Salute to Greatness” honors the life and legacy of one of Mississippi’s most celebrated healthcare pioneers and civil rights activists. For now, the research center will be housed in the George A. and Ruth B. Owens Health and Wellness Center on campus.
A 1957 graduate of Tougaloo College, Dr. Smith has dedicated his life to fighting healthcare disparities, co-founding the nation’s first Federally Qualified Health Centers and breaking barriers in medical access for underserved communities. The new Center of Excellence will continue this work, advancing health equity and producing the next generation of healthcare professionals dedicated to improving rural and community health.
“This evening is a unique opportunity to celebrate a true visionary and the lasting impact of his work,” said fellow alum, Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS).
One of the most persistent and consistent stalwarts in the medical profession has been Dr. Smith. After graduating from Tougaloo, he received his medical degree from Howard University. Dr. Smith returned to Mississippi in the early 1960s and, in 1963, joined Dr. Walter Lear and Dr. John L. S. Holloman Jr. in protesting the American Medical Association’s (AMA) racial discrimination policies. Later, he collaborated with Drs. Jack Geiger and Count Gibson in which they established the first Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) in the nation, including one in Mound Bayou, Mississippi. These centers have since become a national model for providing healthcare to underserved communities.
Currently, Dr. Smith is President and Chief Executive Officer of Central Mississippi Health Services, which he established in 1963. He has served as the College’s physician of record for more than half a century, during which time he helped institutionalize the Pre-Health Program. He has been an adjunct professor at Tufts University and Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School. Dr. Smith has received numerous prestigious awards, including the American Medical Association Medal of Valor (2017) and the National Medical Association Scroll of Merit (2018).
“Dr. Smith transformed the healthcare system in America. Thousands of healthcare centers now exist across the country because of him,” noted Virginia A. Caine, MD, the 125th president, National Medical Association who was among a dozen colleagues that paid tribute to Dr. Smith before a capacity crowd in the Bennie G. Thompson Auditorium at Tougaloo.
In response to the honor, Dr. Smith, almost speechless as he looked out into the audience of admirers, “I’m going to have to talk to my family about selling some cows…I’m giving six figures to the center.” The applause from the audience for his financial pledge was hearty but nowhere in comparison to when they were asked to show their appreciation to the doctor who still makes house calls. The standing ovation was instantaneous with quite a few, “We love you, Dr. Smith!” shout outs that reached his ears.
