By Tony Lawson
Across the United States, Black-owned architecture firms are making a significant impact, designing universities, hospitals, civic buildings, and large-scale mixed-use developments that serve as cornerstones of their communities. These firms excel not just in aesthetic and functional design, but also in understanding the unique needs of the neighborhoods they serve.
Operating at such a scale necessitates navigating the intricate maze of government procurement, managing institutional clients, and engaging with complex financing structures. Moreover, these projects are also held to high performance standards, demanding durability and functionality for decades. This is no small feat, particularly in sectors where success heavily relies on long-term client relationships and stakeholder engagement.
The firms featured here are established players with proven records in sectors where performance requirements are exacting and client relationships extend over years, if not decades.
This article is part of an ongoing Shoppe Black series dedicated to highlighting Black-owned architecture firms active on a national level.
Moody Nolan | Columbus, OH
Founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1982 by the visionary duo of Curtis Moody and engineer Howard Nolan, Moody Nolan has grown to become the largest Black-owned and managed architecture firm in the United States. With more than 350 professionals spread across 12 offices nationwide—including locations in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, New York, and Washington, D.C.—the firm is responsible for over $750 million in building construction annually.
Moody Nolan’s diverse portfolio encompasses higher education, healthcare, housing, civic facilities, and cultural institutions. Its notable projects include the International African American Museum in Charleston (in collaboration with Pei Cobb Freed & Partners), Malcolm X College and the School of Health Sciences in Chicago, as well as the Center for Fine Arts and Communications at Howard University.
McKissack & McKissack | Washington, D.C.
McKissack & McKissack boasts a lineage that dates back to 1905, marking it as the oldest Black-owned architecture and construction firm in the country. The current iteration was established in Washington, D.C. in 1990 by Deryl McKissack, a fifth-generation architect.
Specializing in program management and construction services, McKissack & McKissack currently oversees over $15 billion in projects across federal agencies, transit authorities, universities, and cultural institutions. Landmark projects include the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall, where they played key roles in program and construction management. In 2023, they landed one of their largest projects: a multi-year contract for the rebuilding and modernization of 23 schools in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
KAI Enterprises | St. Louis, MO
KAI Enterprises was founded in 1980 by Michael Kennedy Sr., the first Black licensed architect in Missouri. Over the years, it has grown to become one of the largest minority-owned design and build firms in the nation, employing over 160 professionals in St. Louis, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Atlanta.
Operating through four subsidiaries specializing in design, engineering, general contracting, and construction management, KAI’s diverse portfolio includes healthcare facilities, transit infrastructure, aviation projects, and educational buildings. More than 60% of KAI’s projects are located in underserved communities. Current endeavors include the National Juneteenth Museum and significant airport expansion at St. Louis Lambert International.
Self + Tucker Architects | Memphis, TN
Founded in 1995 by Juan Self and Jimmie Tucker, Self + Tucker Architects operates throughout Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Alabama, and Louisiana. The firm focuses on civic, educational, healthcare, religious, and affordable housing projects, making a 30-year mark on downtown and neighborhood revitalization efforts in Memphis.
Among notable projects, the renovation of the historic Universal Life Insurance Company building and ongoing renovations at the National Civil Rights Museum stand out. The Historic Melrose School project, which revitalizes the first Black high school in Memphis, exemplifies the firm’s commitment to community-oriented design.
WDI Architecture | Indianapolis, IN
Founded in 1995 by Daryl Williams-Dotson, WDI Architecture holds the distinction of being the first Black woman-owned architecture firm in Indianapolis. The firm provides architecture, interior design, planning, and project management services across Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Maryland, and Virginia.
WDI’s portfolio covers commercial, institutional, aviation, and educational projects. Notable work includes the Indianapolis International Airport Emergency Operations Center and design and construction documents for various improvements across five Indianapolis Public Schools sites, totaling over $18 million.
Rhodes + Brito Architects | Orlando, FL
Founded in 1996 by Ruffin Rhodes and Maximiano Brito, Rhodes + Brito Architects is one of Florida’s largest Black-owned architectural firms, employing a significant number of licensed Black architects. The firm specializes in K–12 and higher education, government, aviation, and commercial projects.
With a team of approximately 30 professionals, Rhodes + Brito has successfully engaged in projects valued at an estimated $700 million, which includes over 1.3 million square feet of new construction, renovations, and remodels across Florida.
Firms operating at this level exist across every major market. Most have little or no editorial record.
Shoppe Black documents how these firms operate and compete in sectors where scale and institutional access determine long-term viability.
Professional firms interested in a dedicated editorial feature can submit an inquiry here.
