Hidden Figures: Norma Merrick Sklarek #BlackHERstoryMonth 19/28 (Patreon)

Hidden Figures: Norma Merrick Sklarek #BlackHERstoryMonth 19/28

Norma Merrick Sklarek was a pioneering African-American architect. Sklarek was the third black woman to be licensed as an architect in the United States, the first woman to become a licensed architect in the states of New York, and later the first woman to be licensed in the state of California. She remained the only licensed black woman in California until 1980. She has been called "The Rosa Parks of Architecture". Norma Merrick was born on April 15, 1926 in Harlem, New York. She was the only child of Dr. Walter Ernest Merrick and Amy Willoughby; her father was a 1935 Howard University graduate practicing medicine, and her mother was a seamstress. During the Great Depression her father taught her carpentry skills and suggested she become an architect. Sklarek attended Hunter College High School and Barnard College in New York, before receiving her architecture degree in 1950 from Columbia University School of Architecture. She was one of only two women in her graduating class. After she attained her license in 1954 she worked at a small private firm, and starting in 1955, she worked for five years at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. In 1960, Sklarek moved to California after accepting the position of first female vice president for Gruen and Associates in Los Angeles, where she worked for two decades. In 1966 she became the firm's first female and first African-American director. She was responsible for coordinating the technical aspects of several major projects including the California Mart, Pacific Design Center, Fox Hills Mall, San Bernardino City Hall, Leo Baeck Temple and the Embassy of the United States in Tokyo. From 1980 to 1985, Sklarek worked at Welton Becket Associates, where she directed the construction for Terminal One at the Los Angeles International Airport. Sklarek was the project director for the $50-million project. Terminal 1 was completed in January 1984, and Sklarek then became the first black woman to be elected a fellow of the American Institute of Architects. In 1985 she co-founded Siegel, Sklarek, and Diamond with Margot Siegel and Katherine Diamond. The firm was the largest woman-owned firm at the time. Siegel, Sklarek, and Diamond put out proposals on five projects and won all five commissions. Wishing to work on larger projects, she left Siegel, Sklarek, and Diamond in 1989, and joined the Jon Jerde Partnership as a Principal until her retirement in 1992. Following her retirement, she was appointed by the governor to serve on the California Architects Board. She also served for several years as chair of the AIA's National Ethics Council. She died of heart failure on Feb. 6, 2012 in Pacific Palisades, California, at the age of 85. #NormaMerrickSklarek #HiddenFigures ****************** Merchandise! MAKE SURE U GETTA SHIRT!! https://www.teepublic.com/user/sssseren Follow me on social media! Twitter: @seren_sensei Instagram: @sensei_aishitemasu Personal Tumblr: http://sensei-aishitemasu.tumblr.com Tumblr for my work: https://sssseren.tumblr.com Snapchat: sssseren GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/tc5wh7q Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/seren_sensei ****************** Did you know I wrote a book? ☺️ 'So, About That... A Year of Contemporary Essays on Race and Pop Culture' Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/About-That-Contemporary-Essays-Culture-ebook/dp/B013V0CHK6 Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013V0CHK6 Digital download (e-book): https://gumroad.com/l/IkUa ****************** Links: 'Pioneering African American architect:' http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/10/local/la-me-norma-sklarek-20120210 'Legacy: A Pioneering African-American Architect:' https://www.inc.com/magazine/201205/jeff-bailey/norma-merrick-sklarek-architect-legacy.html 'Honoring Norma Merrick Sklarek, Architect Who Broke Race and Gender Barriers:' https://www.som.com/news/honoring_norma_merrick_sklarek_architect_who_broke_race_and_gender_barriers 'Norma Sklarek Award:' http://www.aiacc.org/norma-sklarek-award/ 'Bay Area Architect Honored with Norma Sklarek Award:' http://www.aiacc.org/2016/12/09/bay-area-architect-honored-norma-sklarek-award/ 'Biography of Norma Merrick Sklarek, FAIA:' https://www.thoughtco.com/norma-merrick-sklarek-faia-177422 'Norma Sklarek:' https://www.biography.com/people/norma-sklarek-7326 'Sklarek, Norma Merrick (1928-2012):' http://www.blackpast.org/aah/sklarek-norma-merrick-1928-2012 'Norma Sklarek - National Visionary:' http://www.visionaryproject.org/sklareknorma/ Norma Merrick Sklarek (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norma_Merrick_Sklarek