Paul Revere Williams Retrospective Redefines Los Angeles Architectural Canon

Three major Los Angeles institutions opened synchronized shows in August 2026 that spotlight the work of Paul Revere Williams, the first Black architect licensed in California. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) will follow with “Architect for Living” later in the year, and the Getty Research Institute will present a third installment focused on Williams’s role in building core components of Black Los Angeles.

Paul Revere Williams Retrospective Redefines American Architectural Canon

Born in 1894, Williams entered architecture despite early discouragement that dismissed his aspirations because of his race. He built an estimated 3,000 projects before his death in 1980, ranging from the Beverly Hills Hotel renovation and the LAX Theme Building to public housing such as Langston Terrace Dwellings and homes for celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Cary Grant.

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• 1937 – Williams publishes “I Am a Negro,” detailing early racism in the profession.

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• 1960s – Contributes to iconic mid-century Los Angeles landmarks (Theme Building, Beverly Hills Hotel).

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• 1980 – Williams passes away, leaving a vast but under-recognized portfolio.

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• August 18, 2026 – USC Fisher Museum opens the first of three coordinated exhibitions.

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• Later 2026 – LACMA and Getty Research Institute launch their respective shows.

Getty Center, Los Angeles: a hilltop campus of travertine and light

• March 2027 – USC Fisher exhibition concludes.

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• ? 3,000 structures designed or overseen by Williams.

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• Three institutions participating in the retrospective (The Guardian; Streamlinefeed).

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• Six decades of active practice before his 1980 death.

Paul Revere Williams Retrospective Redefines American Architectural Canon

The tripartite exhibition seeks to correct the historic marginalization of Williams within the architectural canon and to illuminate his contributions to both high-end residential design and socially progressive housing projects during an era of redlining. By making his archives publicly accessible, scholars hope to uncover further dimensions of his work, such as experimental aluminum prototypes and distinctive color palettes. The shows also underscore broader conversations about the recognition of Black cultural production in American architecture.

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Curator Milton S. F. He noted that opening the archives allows “unexpected things” to emerge, expanding the narrative of mid-century Los Angeles architecture.

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• “The work is worthy of entering into the canon of major architects [such as]: Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, Thom Mayne, Frank Gehry,” — Curry, professor and senior associate dean, Cornell University

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• “The craft and the quality of the work is extraordinary,” — Curry, professor and senior associate dean, Cornell University

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• “It’s a dimension of him and the work that deserves to be brought into focus,” — Curry, professor and senior associate dean, Cornell University

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• “Whenever you open up archives, unexpected things happen,” — Curry, professor and senior associate dean, Cornell University

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The USC Fisher exhibition will remain open until March 2027, after which LACMA and the Getty Research Institute will continue the series through the remainder of 2026 and into early 2027, offering scholars and the public extended access to Williams’s drawings, photographs, and related contemporary artworks.

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