author
Effie Waller Smith
1879–1960
Born in Appalachian Kentucky to formerly enslaved parents, this early 20th-century poet built a voice that blended nature, faith, and everyday life. Her work appeared in books and periodicals at a time when such opportunities were rare for Black women writers.
1 Audiobook
Rosemary and Pansies
by Effie Waller Smith
About the author
Effie Waller Smith (January 6, 1879 – January 2, 1960) was an African American poet whose life and work were rooted in eastern Kentucky. She grew up near Pikeville, and her poems often drew on the landscapes and rhythms of the Cumberland Mountains.
She published three poetry collections in the early 1900s: Songs of the Month and Rhymes from the Cumberland in 1904, followed by Rosemary and Pansies in 1909. Her poetry also appeared in Harper's Weekly and in regional newspapers, helping her reach readers beyond her home region.
Smith is remembered as an important literary voice from Appalachia and as one of the notable Black poets of her era. Her story stands out not only for her writing, but for the path she made as a published poet in a world that offered few easy openings.