Calvin Smyre

Infobox_State Representative


imagesize = 150px
name = Calvin Smyre
caption =
state_house=Georgia
state=Georgia
district = 132nd
term_start = 1974
term_end = present
preceded =
succeeded = Incumbent
constituency =
majority =
party = Democrat
date of birth = birth date and age|1947|5|17
place of birth = Chattahoochee County, Georgia
date of death =
place of death =
spouse = divorced
alma_mater = Fort Valley State University
occupation = businessman
residence = Columbus, Georgia
religion =
website =

Calvin Smyre (born Mary 17, 1947) is a Democratic member of the Georgia House of Representatives, representing the 132nd district since 1974.

From Columbus, Georgia, Smyre became the youngest member of the Georgia House of Representatives when he was elected to it at the age of 26 in 1974.cite news | title = Columbus' Smyre to Lead State Democratic Party | work = Columbus Ledger-Enquirer | date = October 4, 2001 | page = C1] He rose through the ranks over the next decade, both representing the successes of the civil rights movement in gaining African Americans political power and the rise of a younger generation of African American leadership succeeding, and sometimes conflicting with, the generation that had led the movement.cite book | author = Donald L. Grant | title = The Way It Was in the South: The Black Experience in Georgia | publisher = University of Georgia Press | year = 2001 | id = ISBN 0820323292 | pages = p. 457]

Governor Joe Frank Harris appointed Smyre assistant floor leader in the 1983 legislative session and, in 1986, appointed him floor leader for the 1987 session, making him the first African American leader of the House since Reconstruction. [cite news | title = Harris picks Smyre for top House post | work = The Atlanta Journal | date = November 17, 1986 | page = C1] In 1998, he was elected the first African American Chairman of the Democratic Party's state legislative caucus; [cite news | title = State Party Elects Calvin Smyre As First African American Chairman | work = Columbus Times | date = November 24, 1998] and, in 2001, Smyre was appointed Chairman of the state Democratic Party. In 2006, he was elected President of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. [cite news | title = Smyre to Head Black Legislators' Group | work = Columbus Ledger-Enquirer | date = December 6, 2006 | page = C1]

Smyre also serves as Executive Vice President of Corporate External Affairs at Synovus and President of the Synovus Foundation.

References

External links

* [http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/house/bios/smyreCalvin/smyreCalvin.htm Georgia General Assembly - Representative Calvin Smyre] official GA House website
* [http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=7978 Project Vote Smart - Representative Calvin Smyre (GA)] profile
*"Follow the Money" - Calvin Smyre
** [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=78895 2006] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=19204 2004] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=2257 2002] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=27017 2000] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=26572 1998] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=26082 1996] campaign contributions
* [http://www.synovus.com/index.cfm?catID=4&subject=7&page=8&sub_page=2 Synovus - Calvin Smyre] profile