J. Alfred Smith

James Alfred Smith Sr. (May 19, 1931 – September 19, 2025) was an American pastor of the Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland, California.

Ebony Magazine chose Smith to be one of the "Most Influential Black Americans" and was one of the magazine's Top 15 Greatest Black Preachers of 1993.

Education Smith earned a B.S. degree from Western Baptist College (now Corban University) in elementary education in 1952.

Smith had a lengthy and rich career as a Visiting Professor and Doctoral Advisor including: Visiting Professor and Doctoral Advisor, Fuller Theological Seminary (Pasadena, California) Interdenominational Theological Center (Atlanta, Georgia); United Theological Seminary (Dayton, Ohio) Visiting Professor, Southern Baptist Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky Adjunct Professor, Garrett Theological Seminary, Evanston, Illinois Scholar in Residence, Gardner-Webb University, Boiling Springs, North Carolina (2009)

Personal life and death Smith's first wife, JoAnna Goodwin Smith, died in 2007.

Smith died on September 19, 2025, at the age of 94.

Honors Smith was named by Ebony Magazine as one of the Most Influential Black Americans for two years consecutively.

Among the numerous awards he received include the Agape Award from Shiloh Baptist Church (Washington, D.C.), and the Gandhi Ikeda Award from Morehouse College.

Upon his retirement from Berkeley School of Theology, the J. Alfred Smith Sr. Endowed Chair of Theology in the Public Square was created in his honor.

Works Smith wrote an autobiography, On the Jericho Road (2004). He is also the author of 15 other books including Speak Until Justice Wakes (2006), The Overflowing Heart (1987), and Preach On (1996).