Augustus Smith

Biography

J. Augustus Smith, born January 14, 1891, in Gainesville, Florida, was a trailblazing American actor and playwright who rose to prominence in the early decades of cinema. He co-founded the New Negro Repertory Theater Group with John Houseman in 1933, which paved the way for his success as a leading figure in the Federal Theatre Project's Negro Theatre Unit. Smith also wrote and starred in notable films such as "Drums O' Voodoo" and "Turpentine."