Pioneering Black Architects in North Carolina

There were very few Black architects in North Carolina before 1970. It was tough enough for white women in a white-male-dominated profession, but for minorities it was nearly impossible. There were almost none for decades. By 1950 there were only two Black architects registered in North Carolina. By 1980 the number increased to only 65 out of a total of 1909. Even by 1993, Blacks made up only 7.5% of national members of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

This series profiles the North Carolina pioneers who followed their hearts into architecture despite substantial resistance from both society and industry. There are still relatively few in North Carolina. There are no women on this list because there were no female Black architects before 1970. It was not until 1990 that Danita Brown became the first Black woman licensed to practice architecture in North Carolina. She was one of the first thirty in the entire United States.

“NCModernist Early NC Black Architects.” Accessed May 12, 2022. https://www.ncmodernist.org/ncblack.htm.