HR 56

WHEREAS, Paul Revere Williams was born February 18, 1894, in Los Angeles. From his earliest years, Paul Williams exhibited a talent for art and architecture. He participated in the training offered through the Society of Beaux-Arts Institute of Design in Los Angeles and became certified as an architect in 1915. He attended the University of Southern California, graduating in 1919 with a degree in architectural engineering. In 1921, he received a license to practice architecture in California, becoming the first African American architect west of the Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, Paul Williams founded his own architectural firm in 1922 at 28 years of age, during a time when racism was pervasive. He was known for his skill in drawing upside down, which he taught himself so that he could accommodate clients who might not want to sit next to him; and

WHEREAS, In 1923, Paul Williams became the first African American member of the American Institute of Architects and, in 1957, the first African American member to be inducted into the Institutes College of Fellows; and

WHEREAS, Paul Williams designed nearly 3,000 residential homes and buildings, mostly in and near Los Angeles. He became well known for both his small, affordable houses for new home owners and his graceful, revival-style homes for more affluent clients. During the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, he was known as Architect to the Stars, designing homes for legendary figures in business and entertainment such as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Lon Chaney, Barron Hilton, and Frank Sinatra; and

WHEREAS, Paul Williams modernistic style was also reflected in the many schools, public buildings, and churches he designed, including the Theme Building at the Los Angeles International Airport; and

WHEREAS, In 1939, Paul Williams won an American Institute of Architects Award of Merit for his design of the MCA Building in Beverly Hills; and

WHEREAS, During World War II, Paul Williams served as an architect in the United States Navy Department. In 1945, he became the first African American to design a large public building in the county of Los Angeles when he designed a unit of the Los Angeles General Hospital. To further the health and welfare of young people and of African Americans, he donated his time and architectural skills to many organizations, including the St. Judes Childrens Research Hospital; and

WHEREAS, Paul Williams was the recipient of three honorary degrees over the course of his life: Doctor of Science from Lincoln University of Missouri (1941), Doctor of Architecture from Howard University (1952), and Doctor of Fine Arts from Tuskegee Institute (1956). In 1953, he was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP for his contributions to the profession; and

WHEREAS, Paul Williams wrote two books: The Small Home of Tomorrow (1945) and a successor volume, New Homes for Today (1946). In his 1937 American Magazine essay, I Am a Negro, he wrote, Without having the wish to show them, I developed a fierce desire to show myself, I wanted to vindicate every ability I had. I wanted to acquire new abilities. I wanted to prove that I, AS AN INDIVIDUAL, deserved a place in the world; and

WHEREAS, Paul Williams passed away on January 3, 1980, in Los Angeles at 85 years of age. His legacy will be celebrated in 2017 when the American Institute of Architects awards the Gold Medal, its highest annual honor, recognizing him as an individual whose architectural work has had a lasting influence; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Assembly recognizes the distinguished contributions of Paul Revere Williams to the architecture of California; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.