GENERAL
2 min readMichigan Political Pioneer Virgil Smith Dies at 80
TrueGov Editorial Team•7 months ago•2 min read
Former state legislator and first African American chief judge of Wayne County Circuit Court
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Virgil Clark Smith, a former Michigan legislator and judicial pioneer, has passed away at age 80 following complications from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Smith died peacefully on June 23, 2025, after being hospitalized since April 7 with COPD that eventually led to kidney failure and other health complications.