▁In ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁he ▁joined ▁a ▁white ▁minister , ▁the ▁Rev . ▁Carl ▁D ud ley , ▁as ▁co - p ast or ▁of ▁Bere a ▁Pres by ter ian ▁Church . ▁T ogether , ▁they ▁helped ▁to ▁integrate ▁the ▁formerly ▁black ▁church ▁in ▁dow nt own ▁St . ▁Louis . ▁Smith ▁there after ▁developed ▁an ▁inter - ra cial ▁out re ach ▁program ▁to ▁other ▁churches ▁in ▁St . ▁Louis . ▁ ▁Answer ing ▁Dr . ▁King ' s ▁call ▁for ▁cler gy ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁protest s , ▁Smith ▁and ▁D ud ley ▁led ▁a ▁small ▁group ▁of ▁St . ▁Louis ▁Pres by ter ian ▁minister s ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁Sel ma ▁to ▁Mont gom ery ▁march es ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁Smith ▁was ▁sp at ▁upon ▁by ▁a ▁white ▁man , ▁but ▁the ▁two ▁otherwise ▁escaped ▁without ▁injury . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁Smith ▁taught ▁and ▁worked ▁with ▁students ▁on ▁ra cial ▁issues ▁as ▁an ▁administrator ▁at ▁Washington ▁University ▁in ▁St . ▁Louis . ▁While ▁there , ▁he ▁rose ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁Associ ate ▁Vice ▁Chan cell or . ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁associate ▁past or ▁at ▁Second ▁Pres by ter ian ▁Church ▁and ▁helped ▁coordinate ▁a ▁large ▁Urban ▁League ▁ant ip over ty ▁program . ▁Smith ▁then ▁moved ▁to ▁Atlanta ▁to ▁become ▁Vice ▁President ▁of ▁More house ▁College . ▁Smith ▁began ▁to ▁teach ▁a ▁course ▁in ▁bio eth