Patrick D. Smith

Patrick D. Smith was born in Mendenhall, Mississippi, on October 8, 1927. He earned a B.A. degree from the University of Mississippi in 1947 and an M.A. in 1959. He worked in public relations for several colleges and universities in Mississippi until 1966, when he moved to Florida and became director of public relations at Brevard Community College. He retired in 1988.

In his own words, Smith’s books reflect “the plight of the underdogs in life.” The River Is Home focuses on “swamp rats” who lived along the Pearl River in Mississippi and Louisiana at the beginning of the 20th century, while The Beginning highlights the struggles of poor whites and blacks in the South during the civil rights movements in the 1960s.

After his move to Florida, Smith’s fictional focus likewise shifted. Forever Island and Allapattah both feature the Seminole Indians struggling to cope with the modern world, while Angel City zeroes in on virtual slavery among modern-day migrant workers. Smith lived among the Seminoles and in several migrant camps as part of his research prior to writing the books.

His most recent work is The Last Ride, which he co-wrote with Glen “Pee Wee” Mercer, a champion bull-rider who was paralyzed in a bull-riding accident in 1995.

(Article first posted October 2001)