We are heartbroken to hear about the passing of V. Chapman Smith. V. was a warrior for National History Day Philly, stewarding the program from its re-establishment in 2004 from her position as Regional Administrator for the National Archives Mid Atlantic Region. In that role, she built alliances and partnerships that supported the region’s cultural community, all toward the goal of creating transformative educational experiences for Philly students. V. had a large vision that she made real and robust through her unflagging work, advocacy, and charisma. It’s due to V’s blueprint for NHD Philly that we have a strong community of partner organizations that contribute their staff’s time and talent for this program. The strength and resilience of NHD Philly exist because of these partnerships, seeing us through funding issues, contest snowdays, or COVID-related challenges for teachers and students. It’s why, over the years, we have been able to coordinate hundreds of volunteer judges from libraries, museums, colleges, schools, and cultural organizations. In 2008, A+E/History Networks recognized V. for her galvanizing leadership with its Outstanding Educator Award, and this leadership was clear in every energizing individual interaction with V. We in the community will miss her in every way. In 2025, NHD Philly honored V.’s incredible contributions to the program with the V. Chapman Smith Prize for Excellence, which recognized outstanding achievement by a Senior Category project.

V. (left) pictured with her husband, Rob (right) and Kerry Sautner (center) of the National Constitution Center at the NHD Philly Junior Division Award Ceremony in 2017.

Beyond her work with NARA, V. contributed to a number of public history initiatives and coalitions. A dozen years ago, when organizations across the Philly region were commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, V. served on the Pennsylvania planning committee and was appointed by the governor to the Pennsylvania Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. She also served as the education lead for Philadelphia’s Octavius Catto Memorial, spearheaded by the Mayor’s Office and the Catto Memorial Committee. That memorial on the south side of City Hall was unveiled on September 26, 2017. V. led the campaign during the next school year in partnership with the School District of Philadelphia to provide a professional development series using the story of Catto to explore Civil Rights history.

V. was a trustee of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society, whose papers are preserved and accessible at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. She served on the boards of the Greater Philadelphia Federal Executive Board and the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAHA). She earned a B.A. in German Language and History from Lycoming College, and completed graduate studies in History at Temple University.

V.’s impact is unquestionable, and enduring. The words below are from just a few of the people whose lives she touched. We invite you to share your own V. stories in the comments section below.

(Left) V. addressing volunteer judges at the NHD Philly competition in 2017. (Right) V. pictured with Yaasiyn Muhammad at the 2017 NHD Philly competition.

Cindy Little, former Chair of the NHD Philly Steering Committee
“It was V’s idea to go to the Philadelphia cultural and historical community…It wouldn’t have happened without her pushing it, and push it she did. It was critical …she was someone who could navigate the tangled web of the city’s history community…She saw how this was a model for how these big partnership models can lift everyone in the community up. She did all this by using her natural charisma/evangelism to–she was hard to say no to because she made you want to say yes. She was able to persuade people at the School District to support this. She was able to use her role and influence at NARA to secure a position there, a crucial thing to allow the program to grow.  She really understood how to build a coalition of people, funders, and institutional support that would make a program like this thrive. Not only at the moment of creation, but at key points that threatened this great program.”

Beth Twiss Houting, Executive Director of the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center, and former Senior Director of Education of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
“V. Chapman-Smith combined a commitment to preserving history, a devotion to serving the public, and a keen ability to understand how to make government work to get things done. The National History Day Philly program owed its existence to her hard work and affection for helping students develop some of those same skills. As a leader, she understood too that the program could not survive without engaging dozens of other professionals—and so I was brought into her circle. I feel fortunate to have not only had the experience with the program but also personally to have been able to watch and learn from how V did her job.”

Fran Gold, Award-Winning NHD Philly Retired Educator
“If not for V., NHD would not have been in Philly…truly a maverick mover-shaker; she held the big picture of Public History–how education exists in and out of the classroom, archive and museum walls…how the various components could work together for the betterment of society. Her contributions to Philadelphia were extremely significant.”

Cathy Gorn, Executive Director of National History Day
“V.’s leadership was instrumental in developing NHD Philly into a model, urban NHD program through community partnerships.  She had an inherent understanding of the importance of knowing the past to understand the present and how to make history accessible to young people. Her legacy will be felt for generations.”

Yaasiyn Muhammad, Assistant Principal of George Washington High School
“I’m heartbroken to have learned that V. Chapman Smith, who I met while working on the Octavius Catto project in 2017 and 2018, has passed away. Our initial professional connection blossomed into a profound mentorship and friendship. V.’s influence had a lasting, positive impact on so many parts of my life, and I’m incredibly thankful for her presence and the time we have spent together. She will be deeply missed.”