Roberta Washington FAIA, NOMA, is an American architect. She founded the firm Roberta Washington Architects in 1983,^[1] which, at the time, was one of very few architecture firms in the United States led by an African-American woman.^[2] She was a Commissioner of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission from 2007 to 2015.^[3][4] She is a past President of the National Organization of Minority Architects (1997)^[5] and is a Director and Treasurer of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) Foundation.^[6] She has been a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects since 2006.^[7]

Early life and education

Washington received her Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1970 from Howard University.^{[8][9][10][11]} She completed a Master of Architecture degree at Columbia University in 1971.^[12] She received a full scholarship from Columbia University along with 25 other African-American students as a response to its campus riots in 1968.^[13] After earning her master's degree, she spent four years working on hospital and housing projects in Mozambique.^[14]

During her education, she was active in organizations including the Women's Caucus at the American Institute of Architects and Alliance of Women in Architecture.^[15] Forming bonds with fellow architects helped inspire Washington to work to ensure legacies of Blacks and women aren't lost. She has been researching and writing about architects Beverly Loraine Green^[16] and Georgia Louise Harris Brown since 1997.^[17]

Washington was elected to the board of directors of the Society of Architectural Historians in 2021.^[18] She is a member of the Board of Directors of Save Harlem Now.^[19] She served on Community Board 10 in Central Harlem where she was chair of the Housing Committee and co-chair of the Land Use Committee.^[20]

References

External links

• "An interview with Roberta Washington, FAIA, NOMAC". National Organization of Minority Architects.