SEATTLE — A new exhibit celebrating Black architects across the United States, “From the Ground Up: Black Architects and Designers,” is coming to Seattle’s Museum of History & Industry.
Originally created by the Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago, the Seattle exhibit was co-developed by the Black Heritage Society of Washington State (BHS) with curatorial consultation by Hasaan Kirkland — and will run from Feb. 4 to April 30, coinciding with Black History Month.
The exhibit “highlights individual architects and designers from the late 1800s to today who have broken barriers formed by racism and have created spaces and places that support communities and culture with projects ranging from public housing, to places of worship, museums and universities,” according to the Museum of History & Industry's (MOHAI) website.
MOHAI said visitors of the exhibit will recognize iconic landmarks from across the country and learn the stories behind them. The exhibit will also highlight Seattle-area architects and designers who have had a local impact, including Benjamin F. McAdoo Jr., the first Black architect registered in the state.
Other architects highlighted in this exhibit include:
- Georgia Louise H. Brown: First Black woman to earn a Bachelor of Science in architecture engineering by Kansas University and second to become a licensed architect in the U.S.
- Philip G. Freelon: Founder of The Freelon Group and the first African American architect to join the U.S Commission of Fine Arts.
- Roberta Washington: Founder/principal of Roberta Washington Architects and responsible for designing new and modernized public schools, housing projects, health care facilities and office buildings.
For more information on the exhibit and how to visit MOHAI, visit its website mohai.org.