Involvement. Dr. Smith would not be remembered today if he had lived an unremarkable life. His life was rich and centered on involvement.  At about age 22 Smith chose to leave the United States when no American university would offer him, a free negro, a place to pursue higher studies. He set sail for Glasgow, Scotland. Slavery was abolised in Great Britain in 1833, not by civil war, but by over 5000 petitions delivered to Parliament.  Smith was arrived in a country where people of color were free… for less than two years! Similar to many students, his first involvement  in organized movements began whild studying in Scotland. 

Glasgow Emancipation Society, member
Smith became affiliated with this group while studying in Scotland. 

Negro Convention Movement, member
An anti-slavery society. 

American Geographical Society, member
An article published in the August 21, 1900 edition of the Brooklyn Eagle, his contemporary Druggist Peter W. Ray states that Smith received a medal for an article he wrote. Smith’s membership is also reported in Education As Freedom By Noel S. Anderson, Haroon Kharem 

New York Historical Society, member
The same Eagle article noted above states that Smith was a member of this organization. 

New York Statistics Institute, founding member
Smith was a invited to be a founding member of the institute in 1852. 

American Anti-Slavery Society, member
Within a year of Smith’s return to the United States, this organization was flourishing with about a quarter million members. Noted members were William Lloyd Garrison, Lucy Stone, and Frederick Douglass. 

New York Society for the Promotion of Education Among Colored Children, treasurer
While residing at 15 North Moore Street in Manhattan, Dr. Smith was recorded as the treasurer for this group. 

St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, member
St. Philips, an African-American congregation, in New York city celebrates in 2009 its 200th anniversary. Noted leader was Rev. Peter Williams who at one time tutored Dr. Smith on matters of faith. Smith was a delegate to the 73rd Annual Convention of the Episcopal church in 1856. 

National Council of the Colored People, president
Organized “for the purpose of improving the character, developing the intelligence, maintaining the rights, and organizing a union of the colored people of the Free States.”  In 1856 Smith spoke at the third semi-annual convention of the Council as accounted in the Friends’ Intelligencer, vol. xii, published in 1856.  The Intelligencer described the group’s purpose as “to advance the interests of colored people by providing means for more liberal education, in the establishment of Manual Labor Schools, and to open more extended avenues of employment.” 

Colored Orphan Asylum, physician
A charitable, humanitarian foundation located in New York City. Smith was appointed as the organizations physican and attended the children under its care. In 1859, one of many years Smith worked for the asylum, his name is recorded in the Eleventh Annual Report of the Governors of the Almshouse, New York By New York (N.Y.). 

Odd Fellows, member
James McCune Smith attended the first Annual Moveable Committee meeting in Philadelphia in October 1845. Smith was a member of Hamilton Lodge, No. 710, New York City.