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William Caswell Smith was born in Cumberland County, N. C., February 12, 1856, his parents being Alexander and Violet Smith, both slaves of unmixed negro blood. Alexander, or Sandy, as he was called, was coachman for a wealthy family, and thereby had more privileges, and saw more of the world, than the ordinary slave. He was also known as the neighborhood fiddler. He was very proud, and was popular with the females.

William was the youngest of three children. He entered a public school in 1866, and learned very rapidly, standing at the head in nearly all of his classes. His school training was limited to about five years,—a part of this time being spent in school and a part on the farm. Nevertheless, what opportunities he had to learn were so well improved, he was afterward able to teach, and was thus employed in the public schools of his own and adjoining counties.

In 1873 he entered the printing-office of The Statesman, where he learned to set type. He learned the trade rapidly, and at the end of the first year he took charge of the office, having learned to "make up forms" and do any other work about the office.

He was one of the founders of The Fayetteville Educator, the first newspaper edited and published by colored men in North Carolina. This paper was published by Waddell & Smith one year, they doing their own type-setting, writing, and everything about the office, Smith acting foreman. After publishing this paper fifty-two consecutive weeks, it was suspended, and Mr. Smith was employed on The Memphis (Tenn.) Planet several months, but disliking the West he returned to Washington City, where he was employed as compositor on The People's Advocate. In 1879, he returned to North Carolina and was put in charge of The Star of Zion