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Story summary
- Edith Renfrow Smith, the first Black woman to graduate from Grinnell College, died at age 111 on January 2, 2026, in Chicago.
- She was born July 14, 1914, in Grinnell, Iowa.
- Smith became a public school teacher in Chicago.
- She influenced Herbie Hancock's decision to attend Grinnell.
- Grinnell honored her legacy with a residence hall named after her in 2024.
