An illustrated biography of the life of Edith Renfrow Smith is now available for purchase from the Pioneer Bookstore (first edition, higher print quality) and from major retailers like Amazon (print on demand edition). Remarkable at age 111 as of July 14, 2025, she is an inspiration to many. She was born in Grinnell, Iowa, in 1914 to one of the few Black families in the area. Her grandparents were born into slavery. Her grandfather escaped via the Underground Railroad, traveling through Grinnell with John Brown in 1859. Her mother’s passion for education inspired all six of the Renfrow children to go to college. In 1937, Edith Renfrow became the first Black woman to graduate from Grinnell College. In September 2024, the college named their newest building Renfrow Hall in her honor. She was 110 years old at the time of the building dedication. She flew from Chicago to Grinnell in a private jet, was greeted by the community with a parade, and participated in the weekend of celebration in her honor.
This website documents the process of writing the book which was published in January 2024. It includes the ways that Mrs. Renfrow Smith and her daughter, Alice Smith, were involved every step of they way. You can order your copy from the Pioneer Bookstore in Grinnell.
Read about me and why I did this on the About the Author page.
Read about the journey of publishing this book
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Celebrating 75%
With this illustration, Erica has completed 17 of 22 double-page spreads, technically 77.27% of the book. We know there are revisions to the early illustrations that will need to be made, so there is more than 22.73% of the work remaining. But still, hitting this point feels pretty significant. The light at the end of…
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The other Grinnell woman to know about
This page is one of my favorite illustrations. I love how Erica used the perspective and the star-filled sky. The other reason I love this page is because it talks about Laetitia Conard, another overlooked amazing women in Grinnell’s history. Mrs. Conard is someone Edith remembers very fondly. She was the leader of her Campfire…
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Bloomers & Squirrel decisions
In my last post I mentioned our new process for bringing Alice and, therefore, Edith into the illustration process. We are barely a week in and I’m so excited about how things are coming together. The picture above is one of the first ones we talked about – bloomers for practice pants, and if you…
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True depictions
I love this illustration. It’s how Erica and I envisioned life feeling in the Renfrow home when Edith was little. I especially love Rudy playing trombone (which he really did but which Edith never liked). The busy house, full of family, everyone doing something. But we were wrong. The Renfrow house would never have had…
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Half way there!
Over my lunch hour today we hit a significant milestone. I approved the picture that brought us to the 50% completion point on illustrations! Erica and I both agreed that this is something worth celebrating! I thought it would be fun to share a glimpse of the process. It starts with the text and the…
Pictures with Edith Renfrow Smith 2015-2023
No One is Better than You: Edith Renfrow Smith and the Power of a Mother’s Words
An illustrated biography for all ages.
Description
This illustrated biography is targeted at upper elementary readers but will be enjoyed by all ages. It has a strong message of empowerment. The text is by Monique McLay Shore, a friend of Mrs. Renfrow Smith who has spent several years researching her life. Illustrations are by Erica L. Butler, a Seattle based African American artist. Edith Renfrow Smith and her daughter, Alice Frances Smith, have been involved in the process from the very beginning. The posts on this website document the process of writing the book.
“No one is better than you. They may have more money. They may be more beautiful. But no one is any better than you.”
This wisdom learned from her mother has been a guiding message for Edith and one she shares frequently with others. It is fitting that this message is the cornerstone of the book about her life.
The Renfrow Story 