Charles Thaddeus Russell (June 19, 1875 – August 24, 1952) was an American architect who was one of the first two licensed
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
s in Virginia. He was the first to be licensed in
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...
and he designed buildings on what became known as the "Black Wall Street of America".
Early life and education
Charles Thaddeus Russell was born in Richmond, Virginia in 1875. He grew up in a black section of Richmond called
Jackson Ward
Jackson Ward, previously known as Central Wards, is a historically African-American district in Richmond, Virginia, with a long tradition of African-American businesses. It is located less than a mile from the Virginia State Capitol, sitting ...
. He began his studies at the
Hampton Institute
Hampton University is a private, historically black, research university in Hampton, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1868 as Hampton Agricultural and Industrial School, it was established by Black and White leaders of the American Missiona ...
in 1893.
He graduated from the Institute in 1899 and also received a certificate in carpentry. In 1901, he became a carpentry instructor at the
Tuskegee Institute
Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU; formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute) is a Private university, private, Historically black colleges and universities, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama, United States. It was f ...
in Alabama. Russell worked on the campus buildings and supervised all of the carpentry. He also collaborated and worked closely with the architects on the project.
It was at the Institute that he studied drafting and architecture and served a de facto apprenticeship. In 1907 he moved back to Virginia and became the superintendent of the grounds at
Virginia Union University
Virginia Union University is a Private university, private Historically black colleges and universities, historically black university in Richmond, Virginia.
History
The American Baptist Home Mission Society (ABHMS) founded the school as Rich ...
.
In 1909 the Virginia Union President gave Russell permission to begin his career as an architect.
Career
Russell was one of Virginia's first two licensed black architects.
Russell was issued his architect license October 2, 1922. The licenses were given in alphabetical order so another African American architect
John A. Lankford was issued his license before Russell.
A majority of the workers and contractors hired by Russell were black. He designed homes and commercial buildings in what was called ''Postletown'' or "Apostle Town" (now known as Jackson Ward). The area was called "Posteltown" because the street names included the names of the
Apostles in the New Testament
In Christian theology and ecclesiology, the apostles, particularly the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Twelve Disciples or simply the Twelve), were the primary Disciple (Christianity), disciples of Jesus according to the New Testament. Dur ...
.
Russel's designs helped to transform the Jackson Ward area into a thriving area for commerce. His designs helped to transform the area into what was called the "Black Wall Street of America."
In 1910, he designed his first building for Virginia businesswoman
Maggie Walker. The building was constructed as a bank but is now known as the
St. Luke Building with 12 apartments on the upper levels. It is now being renovated to create loft apartments.
The building was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
in 1982.
In 1915 he designed a home for a doctor named William Henry Hughes.
He was also hired to remodel the 1873 Ebenezer Baptist Church in Jackson Ward.
He altered the design of the church from
Victorian Gothic
Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...
to
Neoclassical and added four unique spires to the top of the church in place of a steeple.
He designed the Rialto Theatre in
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 33,458 with a majority bla ...
which was completed in 1923.
In 1925,
the historic
Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church was remodeled and extended by Russell.
In 1942, in one of Russell's last jobs as an architect, he was tasked with supervising the move and reconstruction of the
Belgian Building on the Virginia Union University grounds. The building was constructed by Belgium for the
1939 New York World's Fair
The 1939 New York World's Fair (also known as the 1939–1940 New York World's Fair) was an world's fair, international exposition at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City, New York, United States. The fair included exhibitio ...
. The structure was supposed to be disassembled and returned to Belgium after the fair, but the
German invasion of Belgium (1940)
The invasion of Belgium or Belgian campaign (10–28 May 1940), often referred to within Belgium as the 18 Days' Campaign (; ), formed part of the larger Battle of France, an Military offensive, offensive campaign by Nazi Germany, Germany during ...
resulted in the building remaining in the United States. Twenty-seven different institutions wanted the building but it was granted to Virginia Union University.
Death
Russell died on August 24, 1952
and was interred at
Woodland Cemetery in Richmond.
Gallery
Historic St. Luke Building Richmond VA (16488474204).jpg, St. Luke Penny Savings Bank
File:216 West Leigh Street, Ebenezer Baptist Church (16760061706).jpg, Ebenezer Baptist Church
File:Belgian Building, Lombardy Street & Brook Road (Richmond, Independent City, Virginia).jpg, Belgian building
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Charles Thaddeus
1875 births
1952 deaths
20th-century American architects
African-American architects
Architects from Richmond, Virginia
American carpenters
Hampton University alumni
Tuskegee University faculty
Virginia Union University