Edwin Hammond Smith was a pharmacist, business leader, community leader and activist. As a licensed pharmacist, he opened, owned and operated the Smith Drug Company on Historic Mobile Street. Smith was actively engaged in civil and civic matters including participation in voter registration drives of the 1960s and was one of the first registered African American voters in the city. Smith was also one of 15 African American men who filed suit against the Forrest County Registrar of Voters for blocking the ability of African Americans to register to vote. Smith was a member of many civic organizations and was known for his support of youth sports teams.
Earlie Hudnall is a graduate of Rowan High School. Hudnall is a renowned photographer who studied art at Texas Southern University after a stint in the United States Marine Corps. While at TSU, he took on an assignment to document the lives of African Americans which led to his being named photographer for the University. His work has been featured throughout the United States including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
