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.
Latest from Harrison Smith

Lilly Ledbetter, a stalwart in the fight for fair pay, dies at 86

She sued her employer after learning she was making much less money than the men in her position. The case sparked legislation signed by President Barack Obama.

October 14, 2024
Lilly Ledbetter, center, at a 2019 event in Washington to advocate the proposed Paycheck Fairness Act. She is flanked by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.). (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

Donald L. Barlett, Pulitzer-winning investigative reporter, dies at 88

Working alongside fellow Philadelphia Inquirer reporter James B. Steele, he exposed inequities in federal tax laws and corruption by public officials.

October 11, 2024

Anwar Hussein, whose photos shaped a royal family’s image, dies at 85

Born in East Africa, he became Britain’s longest-serving royal photographer. His pictures showcased a more relaxed side of Princess Diana and the queen.

October 9, 2024
Mr. Hussein photographed Charles and Diana, wearing a pink and white polka dot dress, during a 1983 visit to Perth, Australia.

Lore Segal, acclaimed novelist of memory and displacement, dies at 96

After escaping Nazi-occupied Vienna, she found refuge in the United States, where she wrote autobiographical stories and novels including “Other People’s Houses.”

October 9, 2024
Author Lore Segal in New York in 2010.

Song Binbin, a face of Mao’s Cultural Revolution, dies at 77

As a student leader of the militant Red Guards, she was blamed for a notorious 1966 killing at her Beijing school. Decades later, she delivered an apology.

October 2, 2024

Gavin Creel, Tony-winning musical theater star, dies at 48

He was honored for a Broadway revival of “Hello, Dolly!” and won an Olivier Award for “The Book of Mormon.” In July, he was diagnosed with a rare cancer.

September 30, 2024
Gavin Creel performs in 2019.

Dikembe Mutombo, shot-blocking NBA center and humanitarian, dies at 58

A top prospect out of Georgetown, he became an eight-time all-star, served as the NBA’s global ambassador and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

September 30, 2024
Dikembe Mutombo in 2015, when he was announced as a finalist for the Basketball Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the hall later that year.

William Lucy, stalwart voice for labor and civil rights, dies at 90

He marched with striking sanitation workers in Memphis and helped devise a potent slogan: “I Am a Man.” Later he became the No. 2 official at the public employee union AFSCME.

September 27, 2024
William Lucy, the longtime secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, in 2011.

Jay J. Armes, private eye with a very public profile, dies at 92

A double amputee since childhood, he had steel hooks in place of hands. His exploits inspired a line of action figures, along with skepticism from reporters.

September 26, 2024
Private investigator Jay J. Armes in 1975 outside his office in El Paso.

Tongsun Park, lobbyist implicated in Koreagate scandal, dies at 89

He was at the center of an influence-buying scandal that roiled Congress in the 1970s. Later, he was jailed for working illegally on behalf of Saddam Hussein.

September 23, 2024
International lobbyist Tongsun Park in Seoul in 1978.