and evangelizing. She traveled to Liberia and West Africa. Smith also expanded her family by adopting two African boys. While in Africa she suffered from repeated attacks of "African Fever" but persisted in her work. As a strong proponent of the Temperance Movement both in Africa and in the United States, she was invited by noted temperance advocate Rev. Dr. Theodore Ledyard Cuyler to preach at his Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, New York, then the largest church in its denomination, on her return to America. Methodist minister Phineas Bresee invited Amanda Smith to lead services of worship at Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church in May 1891. Smith fund raised for the Amanda Smith Orphanage and Industrial Home for Abandoned and Destitute Colored Children. It was an institution for the poor and friendless colored children. Located in Harvey, a suburban community south of Chicago, the orphanage opened on June 28, 1899. The institution provided a home for children to become self-reliant. Funds were sent by the Ladies Negro's Friend Society in Birmingham, U.K. She was dedicated and put forth a lot of energy for the home. However, she soon met conflict with the orphanage due to many problems such as financial, a fire that destroyed the building, conflict between Smith and the staff, complaints from neighbors, and failed inspections by the orphan home investigators. Two years following Smith's death, another fire broke out in the home killing two girls. The building was closed for good. Later life and death Her autobiography was published in 1893, titled An Autobiography, The Story of the Lord's Dealing with Mrs. Amanda Smith, the Colored Evangelist Containing an Account of her Life Work of Faith, and Her Travels in America, England, Ireland, Scotland, India, and Africa, as An Independent Missionary. She died in 1915 at the age of 78. See also African Methodist Episcopal Church Mary G. Evans Jarena Lee Martha Jayne Keys References Further reading Israel, Adrienne. 1998. Amanda Berry Smith: from washerwoman to evangelist. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. Walls, Ingrid Reneau. 2020. The enchanted life of Amanda Berry Smith (1837-1915): A Nineteenth Century Africa-American World Christian. Journal of African Christian Thought 23.1:14-19. External links An Autobiography: The Story of the Lord's Dealings with Mrs. Amanda Smith, the Colored Evangelist: Containing an Account of Her Life Work of Faith, and Her Travels in America, England, Ireland, Scotland, India, and Africa as an Independent Missionary.