First African American Accredited Architect in the United States
Robert Robinson Taylor was born June 6, 1868, in Wilmington, North Carolina. He learned carpentry from his father who was a former slave and worked construction before attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) School of Architecture. He was the first African American student allowed into MIT and its first African American graduate. Taylor also became the first African American accredited architect in the United States.
Shortly after graduating MIT in 1892, Taylor was recruited by Booker T. Washington, founder, and first president of Tuskegee University in Alabama. There, Taylor not only developed the university’s architecture program, but also designed the university itself. The Science Hall was the first building Taylor completed, constructed entirely by students. He designed dozens of other campus buildings, including the chapel, which remains in use today. In 1974, the campus was designated as the Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site by the National Park Service.
Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site
In addition to Tuskegee University, Taylor is also known for his buildings at Selma University in Alabama, as well other projects in North Carolina and Texas.
Robert Robinson Taylor (1868-1942)
Taylor retired in 1932 and died on December 13, 1942, while visiting Tuskegee University’s Chapel: the building he considered his greatest achievement. In 2015, Taylor was inducted as the 38th honoree into the U.S. Postal Service’s Black Heritage Stamp series. His legacy lives on in Tuskegee University’s Robert R. Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science, named in his honor.
To become a licensed California architect, or to find out more about the profession and its services, visit www.cab.ca.gov. If you are interested in hiring an architect, check out CAB’s “Consumer’s Guide to Hiring and Architect” and check the professional’s license at https://search.dca.ca.gov.
