Paul Williams: A Pioneering African American Architect | KCET
Paul Williams: A Pioneering African American Architect
In 1923, Paul Revere Williams was inducted to the American Institute of Architects as their first black member west
Paul Williams: A Pioneering African American Architect | KCET
Paul Williams: A Pioneering African American Architect
In 1923, Paul Revere Williams was inducted to the American Institute of Architects as their first black member west of the Mississippi. This extraordinary feat encapsulated the efforts of an incredible young man able to overcome overwhelming odds and served as a launch pad into an illustrious future. Paul Williams was born to Chester and Lila Williams, a young couple recently relocated from Memphis, Tennessee with his older brother Chester Jr. At the age of two, Williams’ father passed away from tuberculosis, and two years later, his mother died of the same ailment. The two young boys were placed in separate foster homes but Paul was placed in the home of an encouraging family friend who “told him he was 