Calvin Smyre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Calvin Smyre
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| Member of the Georgia House of Representatives | |
| In office January 13, 1975 – January 9, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Hines L. Brantley |
| Succeeded by | Teddy Reese |
| Constituency | 92nd district (1975–1993) 136th district (1993–2003) 111th district (2003–2005) 132nd district (2005–2013) 135th district (2013–2023) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 17, 1947 Columbus, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residences | Columbus, Georgia, U.S. |
| Education | Fort Valley State University (BS) |
| Occupation | Retired banker |
Calvin Smyre (born May 17, 1947) is an American politician. He served in the Georgia House of Representatives for a very long time. He was elected in 1974. This made him the person who served the longest in the Georgia Legislature.
In 2022, he was first nominated to be the United States ambassador to the Dominican Republic. This nomination was later changed. He was then nominated to be the United States ambassador to the Bahamas.
Early Life and School
Calvin Smyre was born in Columbus, Georgia. He was one of three children. His parents were Carter Smyre Jr. and Mildred Rudine Smyre. His father, Carter Smyre Jr., was a U.S. Army officer. He also owned a real estate company.
Calvin Smyre went to Fort Valley State University. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree there. He studied business administration.
A Long Career in Politics
Calvin Smyre has been a delegate for Georgia. He attended every Democratic National Convention since 1980. In 1984, he became the first African American from Georgia elected to the Democratic National Committee.
He also advised the presidential campaigns of Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Al Gore. Smyre served as an elector for Georgia in the Electoral College. He did this in 1980, 1992, and 2020.
Smyre became the youngest member of the Georgia House of Representatives. He was elected at age 26 in 1974.
Governor Joe Frank Harris appointed Smyre as an assistant floor leader in 1983. In 1986, he was appointed floor leader for the 1987 session. This made him the first African American leader of the House since the Reconstruction.
In 1998, he was elected the first African American Chairman of the Democratic Party's state legislative group. In 2001, Smyre was appointed Chairman of the state Democratic Party. In 2006, he was elected President of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. Smyre is known for helping Democrats and Republicans work together. He often acted as a go-between.
Smyre also worked as an executive vice president at Synovus. He was also president of the Synovus Foundation.
Ambassador Nominations
On September 22, 2021, President Joe Biden announced his plan. He would nominate Smyre to be the United States ambassador to the Dominican Republic. His nomination was sent to the Senate on October 4, 2021.
On May 17, 2022, this nomination was withdrawn. Instead, he was nominated to serve as the ambassador to the Bahamas.
President Biden announced his intention to nominate Smyre on May 13, 2022. The nomination was sent to the Senate on May 17, 2022. The Senate did not act on his nomination during that Congress. It was sent back to President Biden on January 3, 2023.
President Biden renominated Smyre on the same day. However, the nomination did not reach the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. This happened before President Biden's term ended on January 20, 2025.
See also
- List of ambassadors appointed by Joe Biden
