Damu Smith: 4 Years Since His Death

Damu Smith died on May 5, 2006. He was a dynamic environmental advocate. Everybody in the environmental community has some memory of this dynamic brother. Damu was universal. Damu gave Greenpeace 'cred.' Damu inspired the environmental justice community. Damu inspired the peace community. Damu inspired the religious community. In short, Damu was an inspiration. Easy going and rarely confrontation in personal interactions, he was dynamically confrontation for the causes he believed in.

Damu's illness was first revealed by The Washington Post, which reported on his collapse while working for peace in Israel. Although that newspaper never covered Damu in his life, they did cover his death. Their loss.

Damu Smith loved to speak and was a great speaker. He loved helping low-income and other disadvantaged people. Damu fought for years to protect people in Cancer Alley in Louisiana from additional pollution. He founded and ran Black Voices for Peace and the National Black Environmental Justice Network.

We will never forget you Damu. You were the coolest cat in the environmental justice movement.