Drue was interested in journalism throughout her early years at Girls Preparatory School and her college years at the University of Chattanooga. Her career in journalism began when a teacher told her to write about the school events that were taking place for her local newspaper. As a result of doing this, Drue Smith became inspired to write as a career and for a living. She was an icon as she wrote columns for the Chattanooga Free Press during a time when women weren't really in the journalism industry later on in her career. As a native Chattanoogan, she wrote for both papers there before beginning her broadcast career. She was society editor of
The Chattanooga Times, the parent newspaper to
The New York Times. Her mentors while at that paper included
Adolph Ochs (who later started The New York Times) and
Roy McDonald. In 1948, Drue Smith entered the radio business with the show "The Party Line" for the Chattanooga WAPO broadcast. She hosted the senator on
WAPO where she gave
Estes Kefauver the legendary coonskin cap that he later took on the road in his presidential campaign. She moved her show to
WDOD, then to
WDEF, where she was named public affairs director. She appeared on WDEF-TV on its first day of broadcast in 1954, presenting
Drue’s Party Line. Through her own show, she was able to have guests such as the First Lady at the time, Margaret Truman, the Tennessee Governor, Gordon Browning, and the Senator, Estes Kefauver. At that time, she was the only woman member (honorary) of the
Tennessee National Guard. She traveled by military aircraft to inspect their summer active duty camp and report on their activities. In 1962, President
John F. Kennedy appointed her to represent Tennessee on the
Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services. In 1954 she served as an advisor to the governor at the time, Frank Clement, and was also named to the chair of the American Women in Radio and Television which was a cause that pushed for women to be more involved in the nation's media. She also was a contributor to
NBC’s
Monitor, ABC’s
Flair and
CBS’
Accent and
In-Person, similar in format to today's
National Public Radio news and information shows. She stayed in Nashville to cover the
Tennessee General Assembly for
WLAC radio and the
Tennessee Radio Network. During this time she was still doing shows on both WDEF radio and television. She was the first woman to cover the statehouse full-time and she became the first woman to chair the Capitol Hill Press Corps and the first women to ever cover Capitol Hill along with the Governor's Office. In 2001, the Legislature named the Capitol Press Room for her. Smith was also an active member of the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the
Society of Professional Journalists. She was their first woman member and first woman president. In 1997, the group named their journalism scholarship in her honor. Drue Smith was an icon that broke down many of the barriers that prevented women from entering into the media. Throughout her career, she was able to gain respect from politicians, governors, Presidents, and other public figures. Drue Smith died on December 27, 2001, as a result of heart failure. Smith paved the way for women to pursue careers in journalism, broadcasting, and much more as she broke the status quo. Even after her death, we can see how Drue Smith has impacted the nation today as we see many women entering and gaining positions in media. From journalists to news anchors, all of the women we see and hear on the television and radio are a result of Drue Smith's determination and passion to follow what she loved doing. ==Fashion Icon==