Paul Revere Williams is known as one of the greatest American architects. Born to Chester Stanley and Lila Wright Williams, Paul Revere Williams (1894-1980) braved a challenging adolescence to become one of the defining architects of his era, shattering expectations and prejudice, all while beautifying landscapes across the country. Before his fourth birthday, Williams’ father and mother had both passed away from tuberculosis, resulting in he and his brother being sent to separate foster homes. In school, Williams was often isolated in his experience as a Black student, sometimes even facing direct confrontation from teachers; upon expressing his interest in pursuing architecture as a career, William’s high school teacher stated plainly: “Who ever heard of a Negro architect?” Williams reflected on his transition from student to working architect – having graduated from Polytechnic High School in 1912 and enrolling in a three-year architectural engineering program at University of Southern California in 1916 – in a 1937 essay for American Magazine, titled “I Am a Negro”. In his writing, Williams stated that his goal was to “force white people to consider [him] as an individual rather than a member of a race”. A prolific architect, Williams designed more than 3,000 buildings before his death in 1980. His touch is evident at the five-star Beverly Hills Hotel; the cursive lettering on its iconic sign is based on his own handwriting. Hired to revive the hotel’s allure after the Great Depression, Williams infused the spaces with flair. When he was working on the hotel in the 1940s, he wasn’t allowed to stay overnight or even eat by the pool because of his race. Google all the buildings that he has created. Prolific is an understatement. In 2017, Williams was posthumously awarded the AIA Gold Medal, one of the highest honors of his chosen profession; it is still the case today that only 2 percent of the nation’s licensed architects are Black or African American. Respect to your legacy.