Born on the Sea Islands of South Carolina, Franklin and his siblings joined their mother in the 'Fort Apache' section of the South Bronx, New York in 1953. A native Gullah speaker, Franklin's dialect was so rich that he was put into classes with students who only spoke Spanish, and the teacher spoke neither.
Early on, he met lifelong friends and was "adopted" into a Puerto Rican family, the Ojedas. In the South Bronx, he attended the same junior and high schools as General Colin Powell, P.S. 52 and Morris respectively.
As a collegian at Hampton Institute in Virginia, Franklin excelled as a baseball player, winning a national batting championship. However, he found his true grounding in academic life.
After 44 years of service, he is now professor emeritus at Stockton University. Reflecting on his past, he recalls avoiding his secret passion since his early teenage years, only to discover it again at the age of 55, when cancer ran him down.
He had an epiphany, saying "YES!" to his true calling. Franklin explains that "back in the day," the 'barb wire' was more visible, and he chose baseball over acting, then academia over baseball.
After his battle with cancer, Dr. Smith made his stage debut in the role of 'Troy' in August Wilson's Fences, followed by other stage roles. Franklin believes his professorial career truly complements his acting, all of which are preparatory to his ongoing journey.
