Black History Month Architecture Series, Feb. 26.

John Moutoussamy (1922-95) was a pioneering African-American architect in Chicago in the mid-twentieth century. Trained under Mies van der Rohe in the Modernist tradition, Moutoussamy broke numerous barriers to achieve a successful career from the 1950s-80s. His most significant work, and the only major Loop building designed by a black architect, is the Johnson Publishing Building at 820 S. Michigan Avenue. Johnson Publishing was the preeminent publisher of magazines for the African-American market throughout the US, with titles such as Ebony and Jet. This lecture will focus on Moutoussamy’s life and career, with a focus on his most famous design (now a Chicago Landmark) and the significance of Johnson Publishing.