The Paul R. Williams Collection has launched The Paul R. Williams Scholarship & Education Fund, an initiative created to inspire, support, and celebrate young people pursuing careers in architecture.
The Fund is named for trailblazing architect Paul R. Williams, FAIA, who designed more than 3,000 structures across his five-decade career that began in the 1920s, including some 2,000 designs in his native Southern California.
Even with the racist practices of the era, including those that barred him from living in many of the neighborhoods where he built homes, Williams became favored by affluent business leaders and celebrities, earning renown as “architect to the stars,” while also building affordable housing and public projects. This year marks the centennial of Williams’ becoming the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
With a goal of inspiring future generations through the legacy of Williams and other trailblazing figures within the field, the newly established Fund will introduce K-12 students to career paths within the field of architecture. The fund will also provide financial support and mentoring to students on the journey to professional licensing, with scholarships for fourth and fifth-year architecture students attending one of the seven Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) offering an accredited architecture program, as well as at the University of Southern California, Williams’ alma mater.
The inaugural fundraising gala for the Fund will take place on October 11, 2023, in partnership with the landmark Beverly Hills Hotel, for which Williams completed a major renovation beginning in the late 1940’s, including the iconic signage and design elements of enduring appeal.
Explaining the impetus for establishing the initiative, Karen E. Hudson, executive director of The Paul R. Williams Scholarship & Education Fund, replied, “I am often asked, ‘Why now?’ As caretakers of my grandfather’s estate, we have always tried to make decisions that he would make.
“Without a doubt, he would be heartbroken by the fact that 100 years after he became the first African American member of the AIA, Black licensed architects represent only 2% of AIA membership today,” she noted.
“This effort is more than a tribute to my grandfather and other trailblazers in the field, it is a call to action.”
For more information, visit thepaulrwilliamscollection.com or follow on Instagram: paulrwilliamscollection.
