December 2, 2025
The tribute was immediately followed by Smith’s commitment to the next generation: a $25,000 donation to establish a new student scholarship fund.
Cheryl Smith, a celebrated journalist, publisher, and mentor, was honored as the first representative of the Black press to be inducted into the Thelma Thurston Gorham Distinguished Wall of Fame at Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) School of Journalism and Graphic Communication on Oct. 17.
The tribute was immediately followed by Smith’s commitment to the next generation: a $25,000 donation to establish a new student scholarship fund.
The Cheryl Smith’s Soldiers Without Swords Scholarship is scheduled to award its first recipient in the Fall 2026 semester, 50 years after Smith first set foot on the campus.
Elevating the Black Press and FAMU’s Legacy
During the 90-minute ceremony, Dean Mira Lowe lauded Smith’s impact.
“Adding Cheryl Smith’s portrait … is a powerful testament to her unwavering commitment to truth, equity, and excellence in journalism,” Lowe said, noting that Smith’s work “embodies the spirit and vision” of the school’s founder, Dr. Thelma Thurston Gorham.
Smith recalled her decision to fund a scholarship as soon as she learned of the honor. She presented a $25,000 check to Lowe, emphasizing that alumni support is vital to the institution. “I love FAMU,” Smith said. “And this is not the end,” she said, adding that the university is included in her will.
The funds were raised with the assistance of a group of “Champions” that included family members, sorority sisters, mentees, and professional colleagues.
A Career Rooted in Mentorship
Smith’s induction recognized not only her accomplishments as a National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Hall of Famer and a key figure in the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), but also her decades-long commitment to mentoring young reporters.
Marlon Walker, a managing editor at the Marshall Project, commended Smith for “making sure that our community is well-served and well-informed.”
Royle King, a FAMU graduate and city official in Tallahassee, credited Smith’s mentorship through the Urban Journalism Workshop in North Texas as planting “a seed of excellence in me.”
King demonstrated his gratitude by presenting an initial $1,000 annual donation to Smith’s new scholarship fund.
Dr. Benjamin Chavis, president/CEO of the NNPA, called the portrait unveiling a “historical moment,” hailing Smith as a “great publisher and a great freedom fighter.” At the same time, Karen Carter Richards, who heads the NNPA Fund, praised Smith’s “principled guidance of hundreds of young people.”
Smith pledged to continue her mission, citing her own mentors, including the late Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and activist Dick Gregory.
“We must work to help each other and make the world a better place,” she concluded.
RELATED CONTENT: Campbell’s VP Slammed In Lawsuit After Alleged Racist, Classist Rant About Coworkers And Products
