Calvin Smyre

Calvin Smyre (born May 17, 1947) is a Democratic member of the Georgia House of Representatives, representing the 135th district in Columbus, Georgia since 1974. As of 2020 he is the longest-serving member of the Georgia Legislature.[1]

From Columbus, Georgia, Smyre became the youngest member of the Georgia House of Representatives when he was elected to it at the age of 26 in 1974.[2] He rose through the ranks over the next decade, both representing the successes of the Civil Rights Movement in gaining African Americans political power and the rise of a younger generation of African American leadership succeeding, and sometimes conflicting with, the generation that had led the movement.[3]

Governor Joe Frank Harris appointed Smyre assistant floor leader in the 1983 legislative session and, in 1986, appointed him floor leader for the 1987 session, making him the first African American leader of the House since Reconstruction.[3][4] In 1998, he was elected the first African American Chairman of the Democratic Party's state legislative caucus;[5] and, in 2001, Smyre was appointed Chairman of the state Democratic Party.[2] In 2006, he was elected President of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators.[6] Smyre is known for helping Democrats and Republicans negotiate, acting as a liaison.[1]

Smyre also served as Executive Vice President of Corporate External Affairs at Synovus and President of the Synovus Foundation.