Black Ambassador of Architecture

The New Yorker this week has a piece on Black Los Angeles architect Paul Williams. He designed several rooms in the Ambassador hotel, which is potentially slated for demolition. Check it out if you have the chance. These links may also be useful:

• A Los Angeles media blogger touches upon the article
• USC Alumni magazine article on Williams

The article is pretty good and I should repeat that it is definitely worth tracking down. Among the things that strikes me about the man is this quote (found online, not in the article), one I should try to keep in mind as a motto as I surely have fallen short of its advice:

"If I allow the fact that I am a Negro to checkmate my will to do, now, I will inevitably form the habit of being defeated"