Harrison Smith

Washington, D.C.

Obituary writer

Education: University of Chicago, AB in English and philosophy

Harrison Smith is a reporter on The Washington Post's obituaries desk, where he has worked since 2015. He covers people who have made a significant impact on their field, city or country — a group of the recently deceased that includes big-game hunters, single-handed sailors, fallen dictators, Olympic champions and the creator of the Hawaiian pizza. He previously worked for KidsPost and contributed to Washingtonian and Chicago magazines, among other publications. He co-founded the South Side Weekly newspaper in Chicago before moving to the District in 2015.
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Latest from Harrison Smith

Pamela Turnure Timmins, press secretary to Jackie Kennedy, dies at 85

At 23, she became the first press secretary to a first lady. Some historians said she had a romantic relationship with John F. Kennedy, which her family denied.

May 12, 2023

Hodding Carter III, State Dept. spokesman in Iran crisis, dies at 88

He was the scion of a Mississippi newspaper family and won four Emmy Awards for TV documentaries.

May 12, 2023

Tom Hornbein, who blazed a new trail up Everest, dies at 92

In 1963, he and his climbing partner Willi Unsoeld pioneered a route up the treacherous West Ridge, then bivouacked at 28,000 feet in subzero temperatures.

May 10, 2023

Vincent Stewart, trailblazing Marine general who led DIA, dies at 64

While serving as the first Black director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, he advised two presidents on global security threats.

May 1, 2023

Jerry Springer, whose tabloid talk show became a rowdy hit, dies at 79

His syndicated talk show aired for 27 seasons and nearly 5,000 episodes, reaching a mass audience while featuring tawdry topics and occasional fistfights.

April 27, 2023

Michael Denneny, a dean of gay publishing, dies at 80

He edited a host of acclaimed writers, including Ntozake Shange and Randy Shilts, and started Stonewall Inn Editions, a trailblazing gay publishing imprint.

April 20, 2023

Edward H. Meyer, who built the Grey Group into an ad giant, dies at 96

He was chairman and CEO of the New York-based company for more than 35 years. In 2005, he sold the firm for about $1.7 billion.

April 17, 2023

Mary Quant, British designer who dressed the swinging ’60s, dies at 93

She helped popularize the miniskirt and designed youthful, colorful clothes that embodied a freewheeling era.

April 13, 2023

Kwame Brathwaite, whose photos said ‘Black is beautiful,’ dies at 85

The New York City photographer chronicled Black life and culture, documenting beauty pageants, sporting events and stars including James Brown and Muhammad Ali.

April 12, 2023

Craig Breedlove, once the fastest man on wheels, dies at 86

He was the first person to set land-speed records above 400, 500 and 600 mph, using a jet-powered car to race across Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats.

April 11, 2023