Jennifer M. Smith

Smith was born in 1947 in Bermuda, the daughter of a bartender. She was raised as a member of the African Methodist Episcopal church. She exhibited an interest in art from an early age, and later enrolled at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, from which she earned an associate degree in 1970. Upon returning to Bermuda, she began work as a political reporter and editor for the Bermuda Recorder newspaper. ==Political career==

Dame Jennifer Smith first got involved in frontline politics in 1972, running as a Progressive Labour Party candidate, the youngest person to run for elected office in Bermuda's history. Senate Smith was appointed to the Senate of Bermuda in 1980, becoming Bermuda's youngest Senator and serving in that capacity until 1989. Member of Parliament and deputy party leadership Dame Jennifer was elected to the House of Assembly of Bermuda in 1989 as a member of the Progressive Labour Party. She was elected deputy party leader in 1994, and succeeded to the leadership two years later upon the death of L. Frederick Wade. Leader of the Opposition From 1996 until 1998, Dame Jennifer served as the Leader of the Progressive Labour Party and as Bermuda's Opposition Leader. Premier of Bermuda After two years as Opposition Leader, Smith led her party to victory in parliamentary elections in November 1998, in which the United Bermuda Party, which had dominated elections since autonomy was gained in 1968, suffered an unprecedented defeat. The Progressive Labour Party again won parliamentary elections in July 2003, but less than a week later, Smith was forced to resign as premier following a coup within her own party. She was replaced by W. Alex Scott, but then was elected as Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly. ==Damehood==

Smith was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2005. ==External links==