Peter Smith Jr
Candidate for City Council Seat #1
Peter Smith Jr., a proud native of Dorchester, South Carolina, grew up on a family farm and has spent his life committed to community service, family, and rural development. He has been married to Evonne Smith for 29 years, and together they have raised three children—Javonne, Peter III, and Shavonne Smith.
A graduate of Harleyville-Ridgeville High School in 1993, Peter enlisted in the U.S. Navy that same year, completing training at The Navy School of Dental Assistant and Technology. He furthered his education at Long Beach City College, earned a degree from C.R. England Truck Driving School, and is currently attending Charleston Southern University. His early career included work as a Dental Assistant at V.A. hospitals in Long Beach, California, and Atlanta, Georgia, before his medical retirement from the V.A. Hospital in Charleston, SC.
Peter’s commitment to community and youth is demonstrated by his founding of the Dorchester Back-to-School Bash. He is also the co-founder of the P. Saxmore Foundation and the Dorchester Veggie Giveaways, both aimed at community support and food security.
A successful entrepreneur, Peter owns Saxmore Farms LLC and Saxmore Catering, previously known as Taste of the South Catering. He is deeply involved in supporting agriculture and rural development as a member of the SC Black Farmers organization and the Rural Coalition, which meets annually on Capitol Hill to address agricultural policy, including the Farm Bill. His advocacy extends to land preservation through his role with the Woodlands Conservation Advocate for the Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation.
Peter’s leadership includes serving as a board member of the Rural Roots Co-Op in Orangeburg, SC, which supports farmers in surrounding rural areas, and as a member of the Community Advisory Board for SCACED (South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development), an organization dedicated to rural growth and sustainability throughout South Carolina. His work embodies a lifelong mission to uplift his community and ensure sustainable development for future generations.
