About Virgil C. Smith
Virgil C. Smith, 77, American politician, member of the Michigan House of Representatives (1977–1988) and Senate (1988–2000), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
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Full Biography
|Virgil Clark Smith (July 4, 1947 – June 23, 2025) was an American politician and judge. He served as judge of the 3rd Circuit Court in Wayne County, Michigan from 2004 to 2018, having been appointed to fill a vacancy in the court by Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm. Smith previously served as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives and as a Michigan state senator. He represented a district in Detroit.
Life and career
Smith earned his bachelor's degree from Michigan State University and had a Juris Doctor degree from Wayne State University.
Smith had served on the judiciary committee of the state house in 1980–1981. He was elected to the Michigan State Senate in 1988 and became the Democratic floor leader in 1995. Smith was the first African-American Michigan Senate floor leader. In 1992, Smith made an unsuccessful run for the office of Wayne County Prosecutor. Since the state senators serve for four years, Smith was not up for re-election in that year. He was first elected to the state senate in a special election. He resigned to take a job with the Wayne County Prosecutors office in 2001 and remained in that job until he was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2004.
On January 1, 2009, Smith became the chief judge of the 3rd Circuit.
Smith was married to Elizabeth and had four children. Among these are Virgil Smith, Jr., who also served in the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives.
His wife, Elizabeth, is the daughter of the youngest of Malcolm X's brothers, Robert Little.[citation needed] Smith died from renal failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, on June 23, 2025, at the age of 77.
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgil_C._Smith
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Virgil C. Smith's archived record and the sources above.
1.What was the date of birth of Virgil Clark Smith?
- A.July 4, 1950
- B.July 4, 1947correct
- C.August 15, 1947
- D.June 23, 1947
Virgil Clark Smith was born on July 4, 1947.
Source: Biography introduction
2.What university did Virgil Clark Smith attend to earn his Juris Doctor degree?
- A.Wayne State Universitycorrect
- B.Michigan State University
- C.University of Michigan
- D.Detroit Mercy University
Virgil Clark Smith earned his Juris Doctor degree from Wayne State University.
Source: Life and career section
3.What position did Virgil Clark Smith hold in the Michigan State Senate starting in 1995?
- A.Majority Whip
- B.Democratic floor leadercorrect
- C.Committee Chair
- D.Senate President
Virgil Clark Smith became the Democratic floor leader in the Michigan State Senate in 1995.
Source: Life and career section
4.Which political office did Virgil Clark Smith unsuccessfully run for in 1992?
- A.Wayne County Prosecutorcorrect
- B.U.S. House of Representatives
- C.Detroit City Council
- D.Governor of Michigan
In 1992, Virgil Clark Smith made an unsuccessful run for the office of Wayne County Prosecutor.
Source: Life and career section
5.How many children did Virgil Clark Smith have?
- A.Two
- B.Fourcorrect
- C.Three
- D.Five
Virgil Clark Smith was married to Elizabeth and had four children.
Source: Life and career section
6.In what year did Virgil Clark Smith become the chief judge of the 3rd Circuit?
- A.2008
- B.2006
- C.2009correct
- D.2004
Virgil Clark Smith became the chief judge of the 3rd Circuit on January 1, 2009.
Source: Life and career section
7.What historical figure was the father of Virgil Clark Smith's wife, Elizabeth?
- A.Medgar Evers
- B.Malcolm X
- C.Martin Luther King Jr.
- D.Robert Littlecorrect
Virgil Clark Smith's wife, Elizabeth, is the daughter of Robert Little, the youngest of Malcolm X's brothers.
Source: Life and career section
8.What was the cause of death of Virgil Clark Smith?
- A.Renal failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseasecorrect
- B.Heart disease
- C.Cancer
- D.Stroke
Virgil Clark Smith died from renal failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on June 23, 2025.
Source: Life and career section
9.Who appointed Virgil Clark Smith to the 3rd Circuit Court in Wayne County?
- A.John Engler
- B.Jennifer Granholmcorrect
- C.Rick Snyder
- D.Gretchen Whitmer
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm appointed Virgil Clark Smith to fill a vacancy in the 3rd Circuit Court.
Source: Biography introduction
10.Which organization did Virgil Clark Smith join in 2001 after resigning from the state senate?
- A.Detroit City Attorney
- B.Wayne County Prosecutors officecorrect
- C.Attorney General's office
- D.Michigan Supreme Court
Virgil Clark Smith resigned to take a job with the Wayne County Prosecutors office in 2001.
Source: Life and career section
11.What distinction did Virgil Clark Smith achieve as a Michigan Senate leader?
- A.Longest serving Senate President
- B.First female floor leader
- C.First African-American Senate floor leadercorrect
- D.First independent floor leader
Virgil Clark Smith was the first African-American Michigan Senate floor leader.
Source: Life and career section
12.Which university did Virgil Clark Smith attend for his bachelor's degree?
- A.University of Detroit
- B.Wayne State University
- C.Michigan State Universitycorrect
- D.University of Michigan
Virgil Clark Smith earned his bachelor's degree from Michigan State University.
Source: Life and career section
13.How long did Virgil Clark Smith serve as a judge of the 3rd Circuit Court?
- A.2004 to 2018correct
- B.2006 to 2020
- C.2001 to 2015
- D.2000 to 2012
Virgil Clark Smith served as judge of the 3rd Circuit Court in Wayne County, Michigan from 2004 to 2018.
Source: Biography introduction
14.What is the name of the child of Virgil Clark Smith who also served in the Michigan legislature?
- A.Malcolm Smith
- B.James Smith
- C.Virgil Smith, Jr.correct
- D.Robert Smith
Virgil Smith, Jr. is one of the four children of Virgil Clark Smith and served in the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives.
Source: Life and career section
15.In what years did Virgil Clark Smith serve on the judiciary committee of the state house?
- A.1988–1989
- B.1977–1978
- C.1982–1983
- D.1980–1981correct
Virgil Clark Smith served on the judiciary committee of the state house in 1980–1981.
Source: Life and career section
16.At what age did Virgil Clark Smith die?
- A.76
- B.77correct
- C.78
- D.75
Virgil Clark Smith died on June 23, 2025, at the age of 77.
Source: Life and career section
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