Thomas Wilson Boyde Jr.
Thomas Wilson Boyde, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 25, 1905 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Died | September 12, 1981 U.S. |
| Other names | Thomas W. Boyde, Jr. |
| Alma mater | Syracuse University |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Spouse | Jennie Jones |
| Children | 3 |
Thomas Wilson Boyde, Jr. (1905–1981), was an American architect. He was the first African-American graduate of the School of Architecture of Syracuse University and the first African-American architect in Rochester, New York.[1][2][3][4]
Early life and education[edit]
Thomas Wilson Boyde, Jr. was born on December 25, 1905, in Washington, D.C.[3] Boyde was the third of four children. Denied 1923 entry to West Point United States Military Academy, he attended four universities in five years. Boyde graduating 1928 with a Baccalaureate in architecture from the School of Architecture of Syracuse University.
The next five years he had four employers, including a New York State agency.[5]
Career[edit]
When the Rochester architect who designed what later was renamed Monroe Community Hospital hired Boyde as one of his assistants,[6] the latter's decorative style of corner windows and curved walls[7] had a chance to develop.[1] This led to a series of other works and, later on, his own architectural firm.[2] His project list included over 30 commercial locations and a larger number of private properties.[8] The second largest category of his designs were restaurants.[5]
His papers are part of the Rochester Museum and Science Center's collections.[9] A 2020 local TV news article said "What exactly he's responsible for designing is still debated today."[10] A $300,000 project "to fund a cultural resource survey of the architecture of Thomas W. Boyde Jr." was announced later that year.[11]
Boyde's profile was included in the biographical dictionary African American Architects: A Biographical Dictionary, 1865–1945 (2004).
Personal life[edit]
He married at age 24 in 1930. He and the former Jennie Jones had three children. In later life he had multiple sclerosis, and died at age 75.[5]
Works[edit]
- Monroe County Home and Infirmary (now Monroe Community Hospital) (1933), Rochester, New York; designed with Sigmund Firestone Assoc. architect[3]
- Blue Label Food Plant (1936), 460 Buffalo Road, Rochester, New York; designed with Sigmund Firestone Assoc. architect[3]
- Lawrence Collins residence (1939), 4425 Douglas Street NE, Washington, D.C.[3]
- Carver House (1943), 192 Ormond Street, Rochester, New York[3]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Intricate Architectural Details Adorn the Facades of the Monroe Community Hospital" (PDF).
- ^ a b "A Book Remembers Forgotten Architects". The New York Times. June 3, 2004.
The architects portrayed include Thomas W. Boyde Jr.
- ^ a b c d e f Dreck Spurlock Wilson, ed. (2004). "Thomas Wilson Boyde Jr.". African American Architects: A Biographical Dictionary, 1865-1945. pp. 71–75. ISBN 978-0-4159-2959-2.
- ^ "Thomas W. Boyde Jr. Panel Discussion".
- ^ a b c Judith E. Greene. "Thomas Wilson Boyde Jr. (1905-1981)". Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ "Thomas W. Boyde Jr., Rochester's first Black architect". Democrat and Chronicle. December 28, 2020.
- ^ "Recognizing Rochester's First African American Architect and His Lasting Contributions".
loved interior curved walls, corner windows, and overhanging roofs
- ^ "Upstate Historians Shine Light On A Noted Black Architect". November 20, 2020.
He was a prolific designer of Mid-Century Modern homes
- ^ "Finding Aids for Archives: Boyde, Thomas W. papers, 1930 to 1980".
First architect of African-American descent in Rochester, N.Y. Architectural drawings and plans
- ^ Andrew Freeman (February 21, 2020). "The Work of Rochester's First Black Architect Can Still Be Seen Today". Spectrum News Rochester.
- ^ "Grants supporting survey to identify Boyde architecture". Monroe County Post. November 4, 2020.
two grants totaling $30000 to fund