Gerald L.K. Smith: The Blend of Fascism and Christian Nationalism, Spanning 1929 to 1975
Taking a Gander at Gerald L.K. Smith: A Far-Right Activist and Anti-Semite
Wisconsin-born Gerald Lyman Kenneth Smith (1898-1976), better known as Gerald L.K. Smith, was an evangelist and political troublemaker who built a series of "Sacred Projects," claiming religious themes, in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, starting in the 1960s. Initially, he garnered attention in the 1930s as an organizer for Huey P. Long but became infamous for his extremist views, particularly his anti-Semitic and fascist sentiments.
By the time Smith was born on a farm in Pardeeville, his family had three generations of Disciples of Christ ministers in their lineage. After studying biblical studies, he became a minister, serving churches in various states. In 1922, he wed Elna Sorenson and together they adopted a single child, Gerald L.K. Smith Jr.
Smith found himself in the spotlight after accepting a position as pastor at Kings Highway Disciples of Christ Church in Shreveport, Louisiana. There, he met Huey P. Long, a future senator who helped Smith avoid foreclosure of some congregants' homes. However, his affiliation with the liberal Long displeased conservative church directors, culminating in Smith's resignation within just seven months.
Smith began publicly expressing anti-Semitic and fascist opinions in the early 1930s, contemplating joining the Silver Shirts, a pro-Nazi group, but instead chose to become Long's national organizer for the Share-Our-Wealth Society. Smith found his calling in public speaking during this time, standing out as a boisterous and aggressive orator.
Long's demise in 1935 forced Smith to search for a new cause. Eventually, he joined Francis E. Townsend, a proposed solver of the Great Depression through pension plans for the elderly, and together they formed the Union Party. Their opposition to President Franklin D. Roosevelt led to North Dakota Congressman William Lemke becoming their standard-bearer, but the coalition's personal rivalries and Lemke's failed bid for the presidency marked the demise of the Union Party.
Smith carried on his agitation, establishing several organizations to combat communism, liberalism, organized labor, and Jews, including the Committee of One Million; the Christian Nationalist Crusade; the monthly periodical The Cross and the Flag; the America First Party; and the Christian Nationalist Party. Smith sought political offices himself multiple times, but his extreme views rendered him unsuccessful.
In 1964, Smith moved to Arkansas, buying Penn Castle, a Victorian mansion in Eureka Springs, an Ozark Mountain spa town on the brink of economic stagnation. He renovated the castle and in 1966 unveiled his first Sacred Project, the seven-story statue of Jesus, titled "Christ of the Ozarks." Over time, he added a Christ Only Art Gallery, a Bible Museum, and an outdoor Passion Play theater featuring live animals and a 400-foot reproduction of old Jerusalem's main street. These attractions helped revitalize Eureka Springs and attracted more than 188,000 visitors to the play, making it the country's largest outdoor pageant. Despite some controversy, Smith was widely celebrated as a hero, planning a $100 million replica of the Holy Land before his passing.
Yet, Smith's attitude toward Jews remained far from favorable. He claimed that Jesus was a Gentile, that multiple U.S. presidents were Jews, and that Jews were responsible for both communism and the civil rights movement, to name a few assertions. These views, among others, led to Smith being castigated for his hatred and prejudice. Ultimately, he passed away in California from pneumonia in 1976, leaving behind a mixed legacy of questionable activism and religious underpinnings.
- Sources
- Jeansonne, Glen. (2000). "Arkansas's Minister of Hate: A Research Odyssey." Arkansas Historical Quarterly
- Jeansonne, Glen. (1997). Gerald L. K. Smith: Minister of Hate. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press.
- Ribuffo, Leo P. (1983). The Old Christian Right: The Protestant Far Right From the Great Depression to the Cold War. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
- Williams, Nancy, ed. (2000). Arkansas Biography: A Collection of Notable Lives. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press.
In the realm of general news, Gerald L.K. Smith's political career was marked by his involvement in war-and-conflicts of ideologies, as he founded various organizations aimed at combating communism, liberalism, and Jews. Crime-and-justice was also a part of his legacy, as Smith's controversial views, especially his anti-Semitic and fascist sentiments, led to his castigation for hatred and prejudice.
