22 Feb 2025 5 min read Blog

Black History Month: Paul R. Williams

Learn about the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects.

Today's Black History Month illustration is of Paul R. Williams, the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects.

an illustration of the Black architect Paul R. Williams — Paul R. Williams by Alleanna Harris

Paul Revere Williams was born in Los Angeles in 1894 and was orphaned at four years old. Immediately after high school, he landed internships and jobs at local architecture firms despite the racial prejudice. Williams took classes at the Los Angeles Beaux-Arts School and then attended USC’s School of Engineering. He became a certified architect in 1915.

Paul R. Williams sitting in a chair. Mel Melcon and Getty Images. — Portrait of Paul R. Williams. Courtesy of Mel Melcon and Getty Images.

In 1920, Williiams was appointed to the first Los Angeles City Planning Commission, and the year after, he received a license to practice architecture in California and started working for John C. Austin. In 1922, he opened his own firm and served as an architect for the Navy during WWII. In 1923, Williams became the first Black person inducted into the American Institute of Architects.

He was an outstanding draftsman, and had the skill of rendering drawings upside down. He developed the skill so that his white clients (who might have been uncomfortable sitting next to a black architect) could see his drawings right side up across the table from him.

Paul R. Williams in office with a client (1952) Photography by Julius Shulman, Gelatin Silver Print, © J. Paul Getty Trust. — A portrait of Paul R. Williams in 1952. Photography by Julius Shulman, Gelatin Silver Print, © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004.R.10)

Williams designed over 2,000 homes, including the homes of Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz, Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.

a Los Angeles villa designed by Paul R. Williams — Residence in Hollywood, CA, designed in 1928 by Paul Williams for banking executive Victor Rosetti. Courtesy of the AIA.

Along with designing homes for the wealthy and the stars, he designed affordable homes, public housing, civic, commercial and institutional buildings. Williams was also part of the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) planning and design team.

Paul R. Williams standing in front of the LAX Theme Building — Shulman’s portrait of Williams in front of the Theme Building at LAX. Courtesy of the Julius Shulman Photographic Archive, Research Library, The Getty Research Institute.

Some of his works include the Golden State Mutual Life building in LA, St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis, and the Los Angeles Superior Court.

The Beverly Hills Hotel redesigned by Paul R. Williams. Photo by Julius Shulman © J. Paul Getty Trust, Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004)

He spearheaded the redesign of the Beverly Hills Hotel, a renovation which cost $3 million. The cursive letters on its sign are based on his own handwriting. Outside of LA, he remodeled buildings and spaces for Howard University (dentistry school, architecture and engineering college.)

La Concha Motel, Las Vegas, 1961. Courtesy of the AIA.

He received many awards including the NAACP Spingarn Medal and USC’s Distinguished Alumni Award. In 1957, he became the first African American to become an AIA Fellow. In 2017, Williams was posthumously awarded the AIA Gold Medal, America’s highest honor for an architect. He was the first Black architect to receive the Gold Medal.

Paul R. Williams with an architectural drawing. Courtesy of Getty Images.

Williams passed away in 1980 at 85, leaving a mark on West Coast architecture and aspiring Black architects.

Paul R. Williams standing in front of a brick Tudor-style home. Courtesy of Los Angeles Times. — Architect Paul Revere Williams in 1970, standing in front of a restored tudor-style mansion that he designed in Bel-Air in 1928. Courtesy of Los Angeles Times.

My illustration of Paul R. Williams is available as an art print here.

I’ll be back tomorrow with another illustration and story!

-Alleanna

Thank you for reading! My blog and newsletter are reader-supported, so to help me keep it going, you can share this post with someone who would like it, read my books, or buy a Black history art print!

If you’re seeing this blog for the first time, you can read previous posts here and subscribe below.

Subscribe!

Further reading and watching:

Video: Paul Revere Williams | Lost LA - PBS SoCal (26 mins)

Video: The Man Who Drew Upside Down: The Architectural Legacy of Paul R Williams - by Architectural Digest at Design Miami LA 2024. Featuring Curator of Modern and Contemporary Collections at the Getty Research Institute Dr. LeRonn P. Brooks and Senior Curator and Head of Architectural Collections at the Getty Research Institute Maristella Casciato. (56 mins)

Video: An Iconic Architect | Paul Revere Williams - ARTEFFECTS (13 mins)

Picture Book: Curve & Flow: The Elegant Vision of L.A. Architect Paul R. Williams - Written by Andrea J. Loney and illustrated by Keith Mallett

Sources: