Wallace Rayfield
Wallace A. Rayfield (born Macon, Georgia around May 10, 1874—died 1941) was the second formally educated practicing African American architect in the United States.
Rayfield graduated from Pratt Institute, Columbia University in 1899 with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture. Upon graduation, he was recruited by Booker T. Washington to the Directorship of the Architectural and Mechanical Drawing Department at Tuskegee Institute. In 1907, Rayfield opened a professional office in Tuskegee from which he sold mail-order plans nationwide. He also advertised "branch offices" in Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile, Talladega, Atlanta, Savannah, and Augusta.
Rayfield left Tuskegee Institute and moved to Birmingham in 1908 to focus on his young practice. He was elected as Superintending Architect for the Freedmen’s Aid Society and Connectional Architect of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.
Notable works
Birmingham
- 16th Street Baptist Church, 1911
- 32nd Street Baptist Church, 1924
- 6th Avenue Baptist Church
- Trinity Baptist Church
- Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church
- Madame Clisby Residence
- Dr A. M. Brown Residence
- R. A. Blount Residence
Other
- Ebenezer Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois
- St Paul's Episcopal Church, Batesville, Arkansas
- Trinity Building, South Africa
- Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Pensacola, Florida
- Morning Star Baptist Church, Demopolis, Alabama
- Marlinton Methodist Church, Marlinton, West Virginia
- Marlinton Presbyterian Church, Marlinton, West Virginia
- Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church, Milton, Florida
References
- McKenzie, Vinson. (Fall 1993) "A Pioneering African-American Architect in Alabama: Wallace A. Rayfield, 1874-1941." Journal of the Interfaith Forum on Religion, Art & Architecture. Vol. 13
- "Wallace Rayfield." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 18 Mar 2006, 03:54 UTC. 22 Mar 2006, 18:58 [1].
External links
- Wallace A. Rayfield site by Allen R. Durough
- Rayfield Legacy project to convert 32nd St. Baptist Church in Birmingham to condominiums. Includes history of the church.