Known as a quiet public figure, Robert Lawrence Smith has worked tirelessly to uncover and preserve Toledo’s rich Black history — thoroughly and accurately.
But the founder of the African American Legacy Project of Northwest Ohio is, himself, Black history.
While quick to offer a reminder that he is not in this work alone, he has been at the helm for decades alongside other “quiet soldiers” to move the preservation needle forward and amplify Black voices all while paving the way for future leaders…