Smith helped to make great strides in racial equality by recruiting the first black scholarship athlete at UNC, Charlie Scott. He also was instrumental in helping push for integration in Chapel Hill.

MORE: DeCourcy: Smith’s legacy will never pass | Friends, players mourn Smith’s death | Smith’s career in photos

Washington Post columnist John Feinstein once asked Smith about his efforts to desegregate restaurants in the area, and Smith responded “You should never be proud of doing what’s right. You should just do what’s right.”

This quote inspired the Pitt student section to honor Smith during a moment of silence prior to Saturday’s game between the Panthers and Tar Heels.

(Source: Adam Lucas, GoHeels.com) 

A photo posted by Adam Lucas (@jadamlucas) on Feb 14, 2015 at 9:03am PST

This was a classy gesture by the Oakland Zoo that showed the type of coach and, more importantly, the type of person Dean Smith was.