Herbert C. Smitherman

Dr. Herbert Charles Smitherman Sr. 1937 - 2010

Born a scientist, Dr. Herbert C. Smitherman tinkered and experimented from the time he could tools. Thanks to his tinkering, oral hygiene has improved worldwide.

Smitherman is a graduate of the Tuskegee Institute where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. After serving in the military and spending time in the classroom as a professor at Texas Southern University, Smitherman earned his Ph.D. from Howard University. Smitherman was soon after hired by internationally renowned consumer goods company, Proctor & Gamble. With his hiring in 1966, Smitherman became the first Black employee of P&G with a doctorate level degree.

Smitherman dramatically improved the Crest formula upon his arrival to P&G. But he didn’t stop there. Smitherman’s list of patents for formula improvements include: Safeguard soap, Bounce fabric softener, Biz, Folgers Coffee, Crush soda, and Crest toothpaste. Smitherman never forgot his Alabama roots. While at P&G, in addition to improving their formulas on popular products, Smitherman was pivotal in instituting a program to attract Black chemists and Black doctoral students to P&G.

When Smitherman finally left P&G after serving as the company’s lead chemist for 29 years, he was sworn in as the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Wilberforce University. Smitherman’s love of science was only rivaled by his love of educating.

Smitherman retired as principal for the Cincinnati Public School’s Western Hills Design Technology High and Virtual High Schools. In order to help close the gap of Black scientists having access to professional growth in STEM, Dr. Smitherman helped establish the National Organization for Black Chemist and Chemical Engineers (NOBCHE).

Stokes returned to the city that propelled him to its highest office in 1980 to serve as legal counsel for the national headquarters of the United Auto Workers. He was later appointed municipal court judge in Cleveland, and remained on the bench till the mid 90s. Stokes’ final stint as a government official came when President Bill Clinton appointed Stokes U.S. ambassador to Seychelles.