Many Black architects were marginalized in history because they could not be formally recognized for their contributions due to racial discrimination. This makes it difficult to trace the history of Black architects since the work of many builders and designers did not make it into the history books. For that reason, the Black Architects Archive relies on community-driven history to build its database of Black practitioners of the built environment. This means sourcing historical information from the participants themselves—the architects—and the people closest to them such as their descendants and their former business partners, co-workers, and students.

Inclusion in the Archive is not based on notoriety, awards, or aesthetic critique. Rather we simply wish to surface the existence of these architects and will include any architect who can be verified to have practiced architecture. This includes builders, contractors, and engineers who designed or built buildings but did not possess the title of “architect.”

Help us build the Archive by submitting an architect’s information here.