Bernal Smith, Publisher of the New Tri-State Defender has died

Bernal Smith, Publisher of the New Tri-State Defender has died

By Shane Deitert

MEMPHIS, Tenn – Bernal Smith, publisher of the New Tri-State Defender newspaper has died.

Smith was 45.

His family confirmed his passing to Local 24 Sunday.

It was Smith who engineered a deal to bring ownership and operation of the New Tri-State

     Defender to Memphis in 2013 for the first time in the publication; which has been in existence more than 60 years.

Smith was active in the community and frequently appeared on Local 24 The s Week to discuss community issues.