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GREENSBORO -- Pioneering civil rights attorney McNeill Smith, 92, died Saturday at his home in Greensboro.

Smith will likely be best remembered locally for his work leading negotiations between business leaders and student protestors during the 1960 Woolworth sit-ins. Those negotiations led to more businesses opening their doors to black customers. He went on to negotiate similar desegregation efforts with hotel, motel and restaurant owners.

Smith also defended Junius Scales before the Supreme Court on his conviction under the Smith Act. Scales was a chairman of the North Carolina Communist Party and Greensboro native who was convicted under the Smith Act which prohibited advocating the violent overthrow of the government. Scales conviction was upheld but his sentence would later be commuted by President John F. Kennedy.

Smith went on to be a nationally recognized civil rights advocate and served on numerous professional boards and with local social service groups. He also served in both the N.C. House of Representatives and state Senate. Smith made an unsuccessful bid for Jesse Helms' U.S. Senate seat in 1978.

Smith was the son of Dr. John McNeill Smith and Roberta Olivia Andrew Smith. He was born in Robeson County, received his law degree from Columbia University and served in the Navy during World War II.

Smith’s wife Louise died in 2000. He is survived by his four children.

Arrangements are still being made but the Smith family has said a memorial service will be held in the sanctuary of West Market Street Methodist Church. A private burial will occur in Rowland.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Greensboro Urban Ministry, 305 West Lee Street, Greensboro; the NC ACLU, by calling 919-834-3466 or aclunced@nc.rr.com; the American Freedom Association, c/o George White, 131 West Lebanon Street, Mount Airy; or the Environmental Defense Fund, 4000 Westchase Blvd, #510, Raleigh.