What do architects have to do to make a living? Paul R. Williams, the Black architect who designed the most iconic building at Los Angeles International Airport, is said to have routinely accepted smaller commissions that had been rejected by others. Architecture is a competitive profession, and today's African-American architects stand on the shoulders of pioneers like Williams.

They also often fly under the radar, working in obscurity.

Our list of Great Black American Architects might give you the impression that Greatness is a title given only to the dead (or the very old). Au contraire! We also celebrate the work of prominent African-American architects currently practicing in our communities—American business owners who are activists, scholars, and entrepreneurs who have created jobs with their architectural and design firms.

This page will always be devoted to today's working Black architect. These are the stars you may never have heard of, but their shoulders will hold future generations. If you think YOU should be included, let us know.

Ian Mark Smith, AIA, R.A.

The Directory of African American Architects claims nearly two thousand entries in their online database. One young man who caught our eye is Ian Mark Smith, AIA, R.A. of id-dg (Ian Smith Design Group) in Philadelphia. After graduating from Yale University School of Architecture (1997), Smith apprenticed with Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi. Every generation's pathway to success often includes study with the masters.

Network, observe, grow a portfolio, and success will come.

Smith is the author of the self-published Connections of Mechanical Fasteners, A Detailed Look at the East Falls Bridge (2007) in which he promotes the ancient exercise of drawing what you see and learning through acute observation. He's also the co-author of Wildwood Moments: New Jersey's Beloved Boardwalk (Schiffer 2008), a scrapbook of memories.

Karen E. Williams, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Credentialed by the U.S. Green Building Council as an expert in the Building Design + Construction of green buildings, Karen E. Williams was honored in 2014 with the AIA's Young Architects Award. Her notoriety thus far has centered around the Florida area where she went to school, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. Williams' major project while with HKS Architects was the building of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Arts in Orlando, a multi-stage venue opening in 2014 that will replace the 1926 art deco Bob Carr Centre. Since the beginning of 2014 she's relocated to the West coast firm of PIVOT architecture.

Robert Arthur King, FAIA

Robert A. King practices what he preaches. As a teacher at the New York School of Interior Design, he focuses on building codes and mechanical systems. Why teach accessibility and wiring and plumbing to interior designers? Because, he says in his Faculty Profile, "Interior design is not just about making a space look good, it's about how people use the space, and it's about behavior." His private architectural firm has plenty of examples to bring to the classroom—his specialty is historic restoration.

In 2014, King was elevated to the AIA's College of Fellows in the category of "Made the profession of ever-increasing service to society."

In his down time, King explores Architectural Sculpture in New York City. The New York Times profiled King's city explorations in "Treasure in the Air Up There" by Corey Kilgannon (March 8, 2013). His two books, Animals in Stone and Faces in Stone are published by Norton.