Remembering Phil Freelon, Architect of the Black Experience

Phil Freelon, an architect who chronicled the African-American story through his resonant museum designs, died on July 9. He served as the lead architect for the National Museum of African American History and Culture, an immediate icon when it opened on the National Mall in 2016.

Freelon designed cultural institutions dedicated to the black experience across the country, including the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco and the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture in Charlotte. His legacy as an architect is keenly felt in North Carolina’s Research Triangle, where he founded and led a respected architecture firm. Within the design field, Freelon will be remembered for his efforts to make architecture a more progressive and inclusive industry.