02/02/2021
A letter to yesterday's from ! This is why Drafting Dreams and 28BlackArchitectsIn28days exist!
Today, we start off with a letter from WEB Dubois to yesterday's Albert Cassell, dated for December 9, 1930, imploring Cassell to share his experiences to young, up-and-coming Black Architects, which reads as follows:
“My Dear Mr. Cassell:
I would like very much to have you write for the Crisis a short article on “Architecture as a Career for Young Colored People.” I want you to tell something about your own education and career and difficulties of choice and finding work, and then to say a word about the opening for other Negroes. Perhaps you could add something of the success of any Negro architecture you may know of. I should like also to have a photograph. We cannot use a cut or a print, but must have an original photograph.
I trust you can do this for the Crisis and for the guidance of colored youth.
Very sincerely yours,
WEBD”
Here we are 91 years later, with still only about 2% of architects being Black, and the need for this kind of outreach STILL being necessary from those of us who are Black and successful in this profession. This is why 28BlackArchitectsIn28days and our Parent Organization, Drafting Dreams exists!
