Edwards, Gaston Alonzo

1875-1943 · Contribution: early 1900s

First Black licensed architect in North Carolina

Architecture & Design — collage image
Architecture & Design

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Impact on the world

Became the first Black licensed architect in North Carolina while also serving as a professor at Shaw University and later as president of Kittrell College, combining architectural practice with academic leadership.

Life & background

Edwards became the first Black licensed architect in the state of North Carolina, while also serving as a professor at Shaw University and later as president of Kittrell College, combining a pioneering architectural career with significant roles in Black higher education.

Sources

  1. Wilson, *African American Architects* (2004); NC Architects & Builders (NC State University Libraries); Preservation NC / Museum of the Albemarle