Smith & Libby: Two Rings, Seven Months, One Bullet

This exhibition presents a fascinating look through archival objects, news articles and other primary sources of an unsolved murder that rocked the Reynolda estate and made national headlines in 1932.  Like most family homes, Reynolda House witnessed its share of tragedies, none more shocking than the death by gunshot of Zachary Smith (“Smith”) Reynolds, youngest child of R.J. and Katharine Smith Reynolds. Soon after midnight on July 6, 1932, Smith was shot on a sleeping porch at the family’s country estate.  

Among the items on display will be photographs and letters from Reynolda’s archives; a newly digitized newsreel from Hearst Metrotone News that was seen coast-to-coast prior to Hollywood movies in the summer of 1932; original news service photographs used by newspapers across the United States; oral histories about the case from people that knew Smith Reynolds personally, including his sister Nancy and employees of Reynolda; an animated film going minute-by-minute through the night of the shooting, produced by Out of Our Minds Animation Studios (outofourmindsstudios.com), a Winston-Salem company; and a sketch of the murder scene made by the local sheriff at the time.

In addition, posters, programs and other memorabilia from Libby Holman’s theatrical and musical career as well as a replica of a gown made famous by Holman in a musical by Vincent Youmans and Oscar Hammerstein II will be on display. The gown was created by Jenna Sais Quoi LLC, an atelier located in Winston-Salem focused on custom apparel, costumes, dancewear and limited-edition collections. Jenna Sais Quoi (jsqdesigns.com/home) was founded by Jenna Anderson, a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) School of Design and Production.