Black Architectural History: Beyond Design
Photo: 1943 Cartoon of Paul R. Williams, Charles Alston, Poster from Office of War Information. Domestic Operations Branch. News Bureau.
In the summer of 2016, I was selected as a Latino Museum Studies Program fellow for the Smithsonian Latino Center. During my fellowship, I had the chance to work directly with curator Michelle Joan Wilkinson at the National Museum of African American History and Culture doing research on black designers and architects. Understanding the importance of national recognition to the legacy of these professionals, we researched and gathered documentation that will be used in a future collection.
As an architect myself, I was thrilled to be a part of this process and amazed by some of my findings during my time at NMAAHC. For me, the act of designing something isn’t just about the final product but about aiming to build something that is a reflection of its time. The history of black architects in the U.S. shows me precisely this. Pioneering Black architects had to overcome a period of segregation. Getting through school was challenging, establishing themselves in the field, even more. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) had an important role in that period, not only as educational sources, but also as employers, often hiring their alumni. Considering who had the power or money to hire architects by the turn of the 20th century, Black architects had to rely mostly on their community for starting their careers. A number of churches or campus buildings were commissioned from them, helping those professionals to have a chance to show their valuable skills.
Despite the difficulties that black architects encountered, their talent is perceived through their cutting-edge designs and professionalism. Black architects were learning and delivering projects like other architects of their time, from designing Neoclassical libraries to avant-garde International Style homes. The only difference is that their talent would often go under-recognized because of their skin color.
Photo: Paul Williams (second from left, in light colored suit) attends the laying of the cornerstone for the new home of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church he designed in Los Angeles, 1968. Photo by Harry H. Adams.
One of the more famous cases is architect Paul Revere Williams (1894-1980), the first African American member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), in 1923. Williams’s modern designs called the attention of clients that hired him to build luxurious mansions in the Hollywood area, including artists and celebrities, such as Frank Sinatra. According to Williams in an article for Ebony magazine, racial discrimination forced him to develop salesmanship. Although he managed to build a clientele, there were still people that would refuse to hire him once they found out he was black. One of his strategies was to sit across from prospective clients and draw upside-down when presenting sketches—an approach that Mr. Williams felt would make white clients more comfortable than him standing over them.
Photo: Picture of the Monument to Paul Revere Williams, FAIA, at the SCLARC Legacy Plaza photographed October 2, 2015, shortly after installation of the bas relief and interpretive panels, Joeconsumer.
The history of black architects is also the history of civil rights in this country. The unjust difficulties professionals went through in order to establish themselves only demonstrates how important their work was—and still is. Black architectural history does not show us pre-determined design styles, but reveals a conscious and continuous fight for recognition.
Written by Laura Belik, Latino Museum Studies Program fellow, Smithsonian Latino Center.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture.
