Thomas Wilson Boyde Jr. Explained

Thomas Wilson Boyde, Jr.
Other Names:Thomas W. Boyde, Jr.
Birth Date:December 25, 1905
Birth Place:Washington, D.C., U.S.
Death Date:September 12, 1981
Death Place:U.S.
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

Thomas Wilson Boyde, Jr. was born on December 25, 1905, in Washington, D.C. 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

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 (2004).

Personal life

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

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Intricate Architectural Details Adorn the Facades of the Monroe Community Hospital .
  2. News: . A Book Remembers Forgotten Architects . The architects portrayed include Thomas W. Boyde Jr. . June 3, 2004.
  3. Book: African American Architects: A Biographical Dictionary, 1865-1945 . 2004 . 978-0-4159-2959-2 . Dreck Spurlock Wilson . 71–75 . Thomas Wilson Boyde Jr.. Routledge .
  4. Web site: Thomas W. Boyde Jr. Panel Discussion.
  5. Web site: Thomas Wilson Boyde Jr. (1905-1981) . Judith E. Greene . May 23, 2021.
  6. News: . Thomas W. Boyde Jr., Rochester's first Black architect . December 28, 2020.
  7. Web site: Recognizing Rochester's First African American Architect and His Lasting Contributions . loved interior curved walls, corner windows, and overhanging roofs.
  8. Web site: Upstate Historians Shine Light On A Noted Black Architect . He was a prolific designer of Mid-Century Modern homes . November 20, 2020.
  9. Web site: 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.
  10. News: . The Work of Rochester's First Black Architect Can Still Be Seen Today . Andrew Freeman . February 21, 2020.
  11. News: Monroe County Post . Grants supporting survey to identify Boyde architecture. two grants totaling $30000 to fund. November 4, 2020.