Today In Black History
Norma Merrick Sklarek, Acclaimed Black Woman Architect
Issue #584 Today In Black History, Monday, April 29, 2024
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Today’s Black History WOW!
Norma Merrick Sklarek was born in Harlem, New York on April 15, 1926, Her parents, Dr. Walter Ernest Merrick, a doctor, and Amy Merrick, a seamstress, were immigrants from Trinidad.
She was the first African American woman to become a licensed architect in the states of New York (1954) and California (1962), as well as the first Black woman to become a member of the American Institute of Architecture (AIA).
Sklarek graduated from Columbia University with a degree in architecture in 1950, becoming the first African American woman to do so. After receiving her degree, Sklarek was denied employment for 19 architectural firms. She eventually accepted a position as a junior draftsperson at the New York Department of Public Works. In 1954, Sklarek became the first Black woman to become a licensed architect in the state of New York.
In 1980, Sklarek became the first African American woman to be elevated to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects, after being the first African American woman member of the American Institute of Architects in 1959.
From 1980 to 1985, Sklarek worked at Welton Becket Associates where she served as the project director of the $50-million construction for the Terminal One station at the Los Angeles International Airport. Terminal One became operational in January 1984, just before the city hosted the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Sklarek was often credited as "project architect" rather than "design architect" on most major projects, despite being directly involved in the architectural design process. One exception to this was the credit she received, alongside César Pelli, for designing the Embassy of the United States in Tokyo. The practice of crediting male designers in the face of female designers was commonplace during Sklarek's career.
In 1985, Sklarek co-founded her own firm, Siegel Sklarek Diamond, which was the largest woman-owned firm at the time. The firm, under Sklarek's direction, would go on to complete a wide range of projects across southern California, including the Student Counseling and Resource Center (1988) and Early Childhood Education Center (1989) at the University of California Irvine, as well as the Los Angeles Air Traffic Control Tower (1995).
In the final years of her career, Sklarek would work on the Mall of America.
Norma Merrick Sklarek died of heart failure on February 6, 2012, at her home in Pacific Palisades, California.
Today In Black History
In 1861, the Maryland House of Delegates voted against seceding from the Union.
In 1890, Black inventor Henry Faulkner received a patent for a ventilated shoe that allowed for adequate circulation and greater comfort.
In 1967, Aretha Franklin released her single “Respect,” which was written by Otis Redding. The song was declared the Billboard Song of the Year.
In 1983, Harold Washington was sworn in as the first Black mayor of Chicago, Illinois. He served until his sudden and untimely death in 1987 after his re-election.
In 1992, LA police officers were acquitted of beating Rodney King, sparking the massive LA riots.
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