Romulus C. Archer
Romulus C. Archer Jr. (March 11, 1890 – November 29, 1968) was an American architect.[1] An African American,[2] he is credited with designing Virginia University of Lynchburg (originally Lynchburg Baptist Seminary) in Lynchburg, Virginia and Saint Paul African Union Methodist Church in Washington D.C.. Both are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
He was born in Norfolk, Virginia.[3] His father was Romulus Cornelius Archer and his mother Mary Poindexter Archer.[3] He married teacher and civil rights leader Louise Archer.
Architect James Alonzo Plater began his career working for Archer[4] from 1934 until 1936 before moving to Philadelphia.[5] Architect John B. Holloway Jr. (1913-1983) worked for him briefly circa 1938.[6] Holloway and Archer both designed residences in Eastland Gardens.[7][8] Archer was featured in Jet with a photograph after he won a merit award from the Washington Board of Trade.[9]
Archer's work included residences, commercial buildings, apartment buildings and churches in the northeast Brookland neighborhood of Washington D.C.[3]
He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.[10]
Works
Selected works include:
- Virginia University of Lynchburg
- Saint Paul African Union Methodist Church (1924), Washington, D.C., which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
References
- Romulus C. Archer Jr., 77, Architect Here for 40 Years." Washington Post, 1 December 1968, p. B6.
- Dreck Spurlock Wilson, African American Architects: A Biographical Dictionary, 1865-1945. London: Routledge-Taylor & Francis Books, 2004., p. 12-14
- "Archer, Romulus Cornelius, Jr. (1890 - 1968) -- Philadelphia Architects and Buildings". www.philadelphiabuildings.org.
- Wilson, Dreck Spurlock (March 2004). African American Architects: A Biographical Dictionary, 1865-1945. ISBN 9781135956295.
- "Plater, James Alonzo (1908 - 1965) -- Philadelphia Architects and Buildings". www.philadelphiabuildings.org.
- "Holloway, John Bunyan, Jr. (1913 - 1993) -- Philadelphia Architects and Buildings". www.philadelphiabuildings.org.
- The African American Architects & Builders of Eastland Gardens pdf
- Eastland Gardens brochure
- Company, Johnson Publishing (16 June 1955). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company – via Google Books.
- Findagrave entry and photo of gravestone