Written By: Jamie Baker
February 2, 2016
In honor of Black History Month and in connection with our 4th annual FOSDP Presents The Dream Builders Awards Luncheon which will take place Saturday, October 15, 2016.
We wanted to share some extraordinary Dream Builders throughout history who have paved the way for so many Americans today.
Paul R. Williams was born February 18, 1894, in Los Angeles California. Paul is an architect who designed LAX theme building, one of the most monumental landmarks in California history. As an architect, Paul experienced racism which he used as a catalyst to continue working hard and breaking records as well as stereotypes of black people. Paul R. Williams taught himself how to draw upside down. Many of the homes designed by Paul R. Williams were in segregated neighborhoods.
In 2011, FOSDP had the opportunity to interview Paul R. Williams grandson former CEO of Broadway Federal Bank. In our one-on-one interview, Paul Hudson said, “it’s one thing to have a dream written on a piece of paper, but it is a whole other thing to get your dream off the paper and make it a reality.” Sentiments passed down from watching his grandfather persevere against all odds in order to make his dream a reality. Paul R. Williams is a Dream Builder, who has left a lasting imprint on architecture by creating designs that were built to last a lifetime.
If you are interested in learning more about Redlining policies regarding purchasing housing in California (1934-1968). Alexis C. Madrigal, the Altantic.com
To learn more about the imprint, Paul R. Williams left behind. Pick up your copy of Karen Hudsons book “The Will and the Way”. A Paul R. Williams book which highlights his career as the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects who designed more than 3,000 buildings from the 1920s to the 1970s
Catch up on our latest Interviews at YouTube/FOSDP. Leave a comment below letting us know your thoughts on Paul R. Williams. Make sure you come back daily for more great content.