Books That Look At Architecture & Design Through a Black Lens
The history of Black architecture and design is an intricate mosaic that spans several millennia, a testament to resilience, creativity, and innovation, showcasing the ingenuity and cultural heritage of Black people across the globe. From the monumental pyramids of ancient Egypt, which stand as an enduring symbol of architectural mastery, to the intricate beauty of the Great Mosque of Djenné in Mali, Black architects and builders have made indelible contributions to the world's architectural heritage. Not consigned exclusively to the past, however, Black achievements in architecture and design continue up to the present day.
Though strongly underrepresented in the field currently, Black architects continue to create works that shape the global aesthetic. For example, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. was designed by Philip Freelon, the late principal architect and design director for Perkins & Will. Blending traditional African design elements with modern techniques, the building sits in Freelon’s body of works alongside the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta and the Tenley-Friendship Neighborhood Library, also in Washington D.C. Other notable Black builders include the 20th century architects Paul Williams and Julian Abele, the latter of whose designs still define the Philadelphia parkway.
Despite such achievements, the pivotal role of Black architects in shaping global material culture is often obscured by a historical narrative that marginalizes or ignores their presence and work. Recognizing and celebrating this history is crucial, as it not only honors the legacy of those who came before, but also provides a fuller, more accurate picture of architectural innovation. Understanding the legacy of Black architecture and design helps to dismantle long-standing stereotypes and fosters a greater appreciation for the diversity of human creativity. Fortunately, there are a number of places where this history can be found.
A wealth of literature offers insight into the profound impact of Black architects, designers and homeowners throughout history. These books not only highlight the aesthetic and functional aspects of their work, but also delve into the cultural and historical contexts that shaped their creations. Here are ten essential reads that showcase the brilliance of Black design and its enduring influence on contemporary spaces.
This anthology work combines the efforts of 70 designers, artists, curators, educators, students, and researchers including iconic and revolutionary artist Emory Douglass and groundbreaking scholar, Ruha Benjamin. Encompassing a range of perspectives, this book explores contemporary teaching practices, research, stories, and conversations within the design field from a Black/African Diasporic lens. Crafted as inspiration for the next generation of creative minds it is equally a call to the creatives of right now to imagine, shape, and design a better future. This book is a must-have for anyone teaching or working in design.
Edited by Anne H. Berry, Kareem Collie, Penina Acayo Laker, Lesley-Ann Noel, Jennifer Rittner, and Kelly Walters
Publisher: Allworth
$19.99
Known as “Hollywood’s Architect,” Paul Revere Williams was one of America’s preeminent architectural minds. For six decades, the pioneering architect crafted homes for America’s celebrity elite, from Lucille Ball and Frank Sinatra to Denzel Washington. The first African American member of the American Institute of Architects, Williams mastered a variety of architectural styles such as Art Deco, French Normandy, Spanish Mediterranean and English Tudor as well as the California ranch style for which he became so well known by Hollywood’s movers and shakers. Written by his granddaughter, Karen Hudson, this book is a tour of his most amazing projects and of the life of a luminary in the African American community of the 20th century.
By Karen E. Hudson
Publisher: Rizzoli
$65.00
Just as with Black lives, the words “Black Landscapes Matter “ are as likely to be taken as a question as a statement in contemporary American society. Noted landscape designer and public artist Walter Hood takes up the question, presenting a selection of essays that tour American history, memory and psychology, tracing the vital importance of Black landscapes through time and space from the Carolinas to New Orleans and Detroit, Michigan. Acknowledging the patterns of oppression, omission and obfuscation that so often remove Black contributions from retellings of the American story, this collection recalls the ways in which Black people have built America, often in spite of itself, through the creativity of the designers, planners, artists, and residents who have shaped these crucial spaces one at a time.
By Walter Hood and Grace Mitchell Tada
Publisher: University of Virginia Press
$35.00
An absolute classic of the genre, written by groundbreaking interior designers, Sharne Algotsson and Denys Davis, The Spirit of African Design eschews stereotypes and misrepresentations to provide an illustrated guide to living in African-inspired style. Tour after tour offers gorgeous photos of beautiful homes designed with culture and expression in mind. Far from the typical “Bo-Ho” approach, this book is not a grab-bag of African fetishes. Rather, its thoughtful exploration of African cultures — from the souks and Medinas of Morocco to the coasts of South Africa — that offers substantial cultural and historical information aimed at inspiring those looking to live meaningfully in the homes they create.
By Sharne Algotsson and Denys Davis
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
$49.51
With so much of the representation of Black homes in American pop culture relegated to depictions of poverty and the inner city, Michael Henry Adams’ 2003 book, Style and Grace, is an authentic breath of fresh air. Showcasing the stylish, elegant, and unique homes of famous and notable African Americans from Gordon Parks to Russell Simmons and scholar and curator Sylvia H. Williams, this book displays the full diversity of African American design while giving unprecedented access to the homes of some of America’s most influential people.
By Michael Henry Adams
Publisher: Bulfinch
$35.00
It’s hard to overstate the importance of representation. In fields where it’s lacking, such as interior design, it is easy for Black professionals to feel alone, even when they very much are not. Into this gap steps the non-profit organization, Black Interior Designers, Inc., with the book Iconic Home: Interiors, Advice and Stories from 50 Amazing Black Designers, led by June Reese. The book profiles dozens of successful and iconic Black interior designers, from Jason Bolden and Bridgid Coulter Cheadle to Corey Damen Jenkins, Forbes Masters, and Brigette Romanek. Offering an honest account of the trials and triumphs of being a Black designer, along with business advice, design philosophies and images from the amazing portfolio of each designer, this book single-handedly strikes a blow for representation of Black creatives in the design field, making it clear that Black people do design and do it well.
By June Reese
Publisher: Abrams Books
$50.00
If you’ve ever cheered Rocky as he ran up the Philadelphia Art Museum steps on screen, or done it yourself in person, you know the work of Julian Abele. Born into a wealthy African American family in late 19th century Philadelphia, Abele became the first graduate from the University of Pennsylvania’s architecture program in 1902. From there he began a wildly successful career, eventually taking over one of the nation’s most prestigious firms and designing the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Philadelphia Free Library, the Widener Memorial Library at Harvard University and much of Duke University. Julian Abele, Architect and the Beaux Arts details the life of one of America’s most important architects, and a career that added more than 200 buildings to the American landscape.
By Dreck Spurlock Wilson
Publisher: Routledge
$54.95
This quirky, personal reflection on one woman’s journey to living with less without losing herself is an important corrective for anyone who instinctively thinks of minimalism as white walls and barren rooms or as something unrelated to the peoples and cultures of the African Diaspora. With inspiration drawn from her own experiences and insights drawn from her extensive education in African and Africana studies, lawyer and author Christine Platt — the Managing Director of the Antiracist Research & Policy Center at American University — offers an alternative view of the minimalist lifestyle and another way to live it. Accompanied by appropriately understated black-and-white illustrations, Platt situates “history and heritage” as the things that we can’t do without, and “clutter” as everything that stands in the way of us authentically experiencing ourselves through our own lens. The result is more than a guide to buying less or discarding more, it’s a sensitive and intentional exploration of the social norms and early experiences that make so many of us maximalists in the first place.
By Christine Platt
Publisher: S&S/Simon Element
$22.00
AphroChic: Celebrating the Legacy of the Black Family Home explores the Black family home and its role as a haven, heirloom, and cornerstone of Black culture and life. Sixteen gorgeous house tours invite you into the intimate spaces of actors and musicians, the creative studios of artists and curators, the “boss” offices of entrepreneurs and executives, and homes filled with pieces handed down from generations past. A history book and ethnography as well as a design survey, the book explores American history from Emancipation to the advent of COVID-19, citing the many obstacles that have been placed in the path of Black homeowners, from corporate redlining to governmental redistricting and urban renewal. The homes featured give a human face to this history as each “story of home” connects to moments in history, with analysis that sheds light on the tangible economic costs and motivations behind the hindrance of Black homeownership and the many triumphs and joys of Black life at home.
By Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
$35.00
The continued importance of Black History Month lies in the number of us who remain unaware of the diversity of the African American experience or the myriad ways in which it has worked to build the nation as we know it today. Part of that unremembered history is the number of buildings from the turn of the 20th century, many still standing and in service today, that were envisioned and built by African American architects. Though virtually unknown, African American architects have been designing and building houses and public buildings since 1865. Contesting this misconception, and the mistaken idea of “who built America” that it engenders, African American Architects: A Biographical Dictionary, gathers 100 experts ranging from architectural historians to archivists, to present a single book containing 160 biographical, A-Z entries on African-American architects whose lives and careers span from the Emancipation era to the end of World War II. No architecture and design library or syllabus is complete without this important work.
By Dreck Spurlock Wilson
Publisher: Routledge
$76.83
