Smith, Ian Douglas (1919-2007), served as prime minister of Rhodesia—now called Zimbabwe—from 1964 to 1978. After Smith became prime minister, he sought Rhodesia’s independence from the United Kingdom under a constitution that would have allowed Rhodesia’s small white minority to continue to rule over the Black majority indefinitely. The British refused, and on Nov. 11, 1965, Smith declared Rhodesia independent without British consent. Britain, the United States, and the United Nations imposed economic restrictions and an oil embargo on Rhodesia. But Smith continued to support white minority rule. Black Rhodesians began a guerrilla war to try to topple the white government. In the late 1970’s, Rhodesia’s white rulers, led by Smith, agreed to Black Rhodesians’ demands for a Black-controlled government. Smith served as part of a transitional government in 1978 and 1979. A Black-majority government was formed in 1979. Smith became an ordinary member of the country’s Parliament. He was suspended in 1987 for criticizing the government. See Zimbabwe (History).
Smith was born on April 8, 1919, in Selukwe, Rhodesia (now Shurugwi, Zimbabwe). He was a member of Southern Rhodesia’s parliament from 1948 to 1953, and of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland federal assembly from 1953 to 1961. Smith was elected to the Rhodesian parliament in 1962, and he served as deputy prime minister and treasury minister until 1964. Smith died in South Africa on Nov. 20, 2007.
