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Robert .R. Taylor photo By Unknown author

15 Most Famous Black Architects

Many black architects have contributed to the field of architecture. They have as well designed several successful buildings. However, over the past years, Black architects have faced discrimination to enter the architectural field due to racism and systemic inequality.

Despite the challenges, many black architects have succeeded and designed some of the most notable buildings in history. There are many successful and famous black architects, however, in this article, we have only looked at the 15 most famous black architects, where they come from, where they have worked and some of the buildings they have designed.

1. Philip Freelon

Philip Freelon was born on March 26, 1953, and died on July 9, 2019. He was an American architect best known for leading the design team of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

He received several awards throughout his career such as Designer of the Year in Contract magazine, in 2008, Kea Distinguished Professor of Architecture at the University of Maryland, in 2013, First prize in the PPG Furniture Design Competition, Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, First prize in the PPG Furniture Design Competition, U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, appointed 2012 and AIA Thomas Jefferson Award for public architecture, 2009 among others.

2. David Adjaye

David_Adjaye photo By Rossi101

David Adjaye is a Ghanaian -British architect. He is famously known for designing several notable buildings such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, Chris Ofili’s house in 1999, and Lorna Simpson’s studio home in 2006.

He was the first African recipient and among the youngest recipients of the 2021 Royal Gold Medal. In 2022, he was appointed to the Order of Merit.

3. Marshall Purnell

Marshall Purnell was a co-founder of the architecture firm, Devrouax+Purnell in Washington, D.C. He became the president of the American Institute of Architects in 2008.

He has accomplished several notable works such as Washington Convention Center, modernization projects at U.S. Embassies in Moscow and the former Yugoslavia, Washington Nationals Baseball Park, several projects for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority, Verizon Center, the Washington NBA and NHL venue and FreddieMac corporate Headquarters among others.

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4. Robert Traynham Coles

Robert Traynham Coles was born on August 24, 1929, in Buffalo, New York, U.S. and died on May 16, 2020. He was an educator, social justice activist, and architect. He was the first AIA Vice-President for Minority Affairs and a founding member of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA).

He has accomplished several projects such as Ambulatory Care Project for Harlem Hospital, Harlem NY (1998), Robert T. Coles House and Studio, Buffalo NY (1961), Frank Merriweather Library, Buffalo NY (1995), John F. Kennedy Recreation Center, Buffalo NY (1963), Frank Reeves Municipal Center, Washington DC (1986) and Lindbergh Center Station, Atlanta GA (1983) among others.

5. Zena Howard

Zena Howard is a famous black American architect. She has a B.S. degree in architecture from the University of Virginia. She is the Principal and Managing Director at Perkins +Will in Durham, North Carolina.

Some of her notable projects include Greenville Town Common, Sycamore Hill Gateway Plaza, Greenville, North Carolina, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, DC, Hogan’s Alley Initiative, Vancouver, British Columbia, International Civil Rights Center and Museum, Greensboro, North Carolina, and Tenley-Friendship Neighborhood Library, Washington, DC among others.

6. Paul R. Williams

Paul Williams photo By Charles Henry Alston

Paul R. Williams was an American architect based in Los Angeles, California. He left a legacy behind in the architectural field. Williams designed the homes of several celebrities such as Charles Correll, Lon Chaney, Barbara Stanwyck, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz among others.

He has designed many buildings such as the 1964 Beverly Sunset Medical Center Los Angeles, 1926 28th Street YMCA, Los Angeles, 1968 First AME Church, Los Angeles, 1935 Rene Faron Residence, 1962 St. Jude Hospital, Memphis, 1938 First Church of Christ, Scientist (Reno, Nevada) and 1961 La Concha Motel among others.

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7. Max Bond Jr.

Max Bond Jr. was an American architect born in 1935 and died on February 18, 2009. In 1967 and 1968 he served as head of the Architects’ Renewal Committee in Harlem, United States.

After completing his studies, he started practising his professional career in France together with André Wogenscky. In Ghana, he designed several government buildings such as Bolgatanga Regional Library. He stayed in Ghana from 1964 to 1967.

8. Robert Robinson Taylor

Robert .R. Taylor photo By Unknown author

Robert Robinson Taylor was a black American architect. It is interesting to note that Robert was the first African-American student enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Some of his projects include Huntington Hall (1900), Hollis Burke Frissell Library (1932), Emery dormitories 4 buildings (1900), Douglass Hall (1904), Dorothy Hall (1901) Tuskegee Institute, Men’s residence Hall (1904), Women’s Trades Building (1901), Rockefeller Hall (1903) and Carnegie Library (1901) among others.

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9. James H. Garrott

James H. Garrott was born on June 19, 1897, in Montgomery, Alabama, U.S. and died on June 9, 1991, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. He was an American architect and is said he designed more than 200 buildings.

In 1946, Garrott was admitted to the American Institute of Architects in Los Angeles and became the second African American to be admitted after Paul R. Williams.

Some of the work he designed include Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Building, Los Angeles, California (1928), Mount Zion Baptist Church, Los Angeles, California (1936), Moss Construction Co., Kenter Canyon, California (1950), Friedman residence, Los Angeles, California (1952) and Firestone Sheriff’s Station, and Florence-Firestone, California (1955) among others.

10. Harvey Gantt

Harvey Gantt photo by By Taps staff

Harvey Gantt is an American architect and Democratic politician active in North Carolina. He was the first African -American student to be admitted to Clemson University.

Despite being an architect he is a politician, he entered local politics and was elected to the city council, serving from 1974 to 1983. Gantt was as well elected as the first black Mayor of Charlotte for two terms from 1983 to 1987

11. Rodney Leon

Rodney Leon is an American architect and the founder of the Rodney Leon Architect. He attended the Pratt Institute School of Architecture and graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Architecture. He later joined Yale University where he attained his Master of Architecture.

Leon has accomplished several architectural projects such as The Ark of Return, Belle Rive Residential Resort Master Plan, Convent Avenue Baptist Church, Cycle of Life Housing, River Front View and Islamic Cultural Center among others.

12. Cheryl McAfee

Cheryl McAfee is one of the famous black architects. She is the CEO of McAfee an architecture firm which was founded by her father Charles F. McAfee. In 1995, Cheryl was named by Ebony magazine as one of the ‘Top Women Architects.’

She attended architectural school, and in 1979 she graduated from Kansas State University with a B.Arch. In 1981, she graduated with a master of architecture degree from Harvard University.

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13. Julian Abele

Julian_Abele photo By Unidentified photographer

Julian Abele was born on April 30, 1881, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. and died on April 23, 1950, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. He was a famous black American architect. He designed more than 400 buildings throughout his architectural career.

Some of the buildings he designed include Philadelphia’s Central Library (1917-1927), Widener Memorial Library at Harvard University (1912-1915), and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (1914–1928).

14. Mabel O.Wilson

Mabel Wilson attended the University of Virginia to study Bachelor of Science in Architecture and graduated in 1985, in 1991, he received a Masters of Architecture at Columbia University and in 2007 he graduated from New York University with Ph.D. in American Studies.

He received several awards and honors such as Socithe ety of Architectural Historians (2021), the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Architecture (2019), the United States Artists Ford Fellow in Architecture and Design (2011), and the Educator/Mentor honor from Architectural Record’s Women in Architecture Design Leadership Program (2019) among others.

15. Norma Merrick Sklarek

Norma Merrick Sklarek was born on April 15, 1926, in Harlem, New York, United States and died on February 6, 2012. She was an American architect. It is interesting to know that Norma was the first African American woman to be a licensed architect in the states of New York and California.

She did a great job throughout her architectural journey and some of her notable works include the United States Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, and Pacific Design Center.

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