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Born on the Sea Islands of South Carolina, Franklin and his siblings joined their mother in the 'Fort Apache' area of the South Bronx, New York, in 1953. A native Gullah speaker, Franklin recalls, "my dialect was so rich that I was placed in classes with students who only spoke Spanish, and the teacher spoke neither language." Early on, he formed lifelong friendships and was "adopted" into a Puerto Rican family, the Ojedas. In the South Bronx, he attended the same junior (P.S. 52) and high schools (Morris) as General Colin Powell. While a student at Hampton Institute (University) in Virginia, Franklin excelled as a baseball player, winning a national batting championship, but more importantly, he found his academic footing. After 44 years of service, he is now professor emeritus at Stockton University. Reflecting on his journey, he says, "I avoided my secret passion since my early teenage years; then at 55, cancer caught up with me. I had an epiphany. I said YES!" Franklin explains that "back then," the barriers were more visible, and he chose baseball over acting, then academia over baseball. Following his battle with cancer, Dr. Smith made his stage debut as 'Troy' in August Wilson's Fences, with other roles soon after. He believes his academic career complements his acting, all of which prepare him for his continuing journey.
