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Charles F. McAfee

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Charles Francis McAfee
Born (1932-12-25) December 25, 1932 (age 92)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other namesCharles McAfee
Alma materUniversity of Nebraska–Lincoln
Occupation(s)Architect, building material manufacturer, activist
SpouseGloria Myrth Winston[1]
Children3, including Cheryl L. McAfee[1]
AwardsWhitney Young Award (1999)

Charles Francis McAfee, FAIA, NOMA (born December 25, 1932),[1] is an American architect, building material manufacturer, and housing activist. He was the founding president of Charles F. McAfee Architects, Engineers, and Planners firm (now McAfee3) which was headquartered in Wichita, Kansas.[2] McAfee has had a distinguished career, and has been considered one of the most important African-American architect in the United States for his social activism in designing affordable housing.[3][4] He was a mentor to many of Black architects, including two of his own daughters.[5]

Early life

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Charles Francis McAfee was born on December 25, 1932, in Los Angeles, California, to parents Willie Anna (née Brown) and Arthur James McAfee.[1][3] He served with United States Army from 1953 to 1955, during the end of the Korean War and was sent to Germany.[5]

McAfee graduated with a B.Arch in 1958 from University of Nebraska–Lincoln.[1]

Career

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McAfee was one of the first black registered architects in the State of Kansas.[6] In 1963, McAfee began his own firm in Wichita, Kansas.[6] Through the years, Charles F. McAfee Architects, Engineers and Planners expanded and opened satellite offices in Dallas and Atlanta.[7]

McAfee was known for his modernist designs.[8] In 1966, his “convertible” design allowed for flexibility in creating spaces with limited or confined infill lot locations.[6] He tackled social inequalities with a focus on designing affordable housing and utilized a modular approach.[9]

In order to build the modular building components, Mc Afee opened a manufacturing plant in 1994 that hired and trained people from the community.[9][10] McAfee Manufacturing Company, Inc. hired and trained workers from the Wichita area.[6] In 1999, the manufacturing plant was shut down after facing debt.[11]

In 1976, he served as president of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), and is one of NOMA's 45 charter members.[6] He also served as president of the National Business League, and president of the Urban League of Wichita.[6]

In 1981, McAfee was elected to the Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA).[12]

In 2006, McAfee transitioned ownership of his firm to Cheryl Lynn McAfee Mitchell and Charyl Frena McAfee-Duncan, his daughters.[13] McAfee manages the firm's Atlanta office, and McAfee-Duncan directs the Dallas office.[6]

Awards and honors

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In 1999, McAfee received the prestigious Whitney Young Award from the American Institute of Architects[6] at the AIA National Convention and Expo in Dallas, Texas.[9][14]

In 2020, the Wichita McAdams Park Pool was renamed the McAfee Pool in his honor.[15]

In addition, McAfee received the Excellence in Architecture honor from Kansas AIA, and the Building Innovation for Homeownership award from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.[6]

Personal

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In 1955, McAfee married his childhood friend and singer, Gloria Myrth Winston.[5] The couple had three daughters. Two of his daughters, Cheryl L. McAfee and Charyl Frena McAfee-Duncan, are also notable architects and serve in leadership positions at McAfee3 Architects in Atlanta.[16][5][17][18]

His archived papers are located at the University of Kansas.[7]

Works

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Who's Who Among African Americans. Gale Group, Cengage Learning. May 2003. p. 858. ISBN 978-0-7876-5915-8.
  2. ^ "Black Architect Selected To Plan Redevelopment". Jet. 46 (2). Johnson Publishing Company: 30. 1974-04-04.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Charles McAfee's Biography". The HistoryMakers. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  4. ^ a b c White III, Frank (July 1983). "Black Architects: Shapers of Urban America". Ebony. 38 (9). Johnson Publishing Company: 62–64.
  5. ^ a b c d Russell, Dick (2009-02-02). Black Genius: Inspirational Portraits of African-American Leaders. Skyhorse Publishing Inc. pp. 356–359, 788. ISBN 978-1-62636-646-6.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Vondrak, Kerry McCullough (January 20, 2024). Alumni News - Charles F. McAfee. College of Architecture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Collection: Charles F. McAfee papers". Kenneth Spencer Research Library Archival Collections, University of Kansas. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  8. ^ Kahn, Eve M. (1992-04-09). "Renewed Hope For Black Architects". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  9. ^ a b c "1999 McAfee". AIA & Whitney Young. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  10. ^ "Why stay in Wichita?". The Wichita Eagle. 2004-02-01. p. 11. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  11. ^ a b "Factory owner breaks silence on shutdown". The Wichita Eagle. 1999-03-07. pp. 1A, 10A. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  12. ^ "Cheryl Lynn McAfee, FAIA, NOMA, LEED AP, BD+C". The AIA College of Fellows Quarterly. AIA College of Fellows. 2022. pp. 36–37. Retrieved 2023-02-16 – via Issuu.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  13. ^ Sturdivant Sani, Christina (September 9, 2020). "McAfees exemplify two generations of architectural excellence". AIA. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  14. ^ "Achievers: Architecture". The Wichita Eagle. 1999-05-30. p. 26. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  15. ^ a b "McAdams Pool to be renamed after architect, civil rights leader". KWCH. July 8, 2020. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  16. ^ Davis, Kimberly (October 2005). "Black Architects: Embracing and Defining". Ebony. 60 (12). Johnson Publishing Company: 108–114.
  17. ^ "Top Women Architects". Ebony. Vol. 50, no. 10. August 1995. pp. 54–58. ISSN 0012-9011.
  18. ^ African Americans of Wichita. The Kansas African American Museum. Arcadia Publishing Library Editions. 2015-10-12. ISBN 978-1-5316-7178-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  19. ^ "Recognition of Architects Reflected in Their Work". The Wichita Eagle. 1964-09-20. pp. 1C, 4C. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  20. ^ "New Facilities Under Way for Jackson Mortuary". The Wichita Eagle. 1965-04-04. p. 24. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  21. ^ Sachs, David (2018-07-17). "McKnight Art Center". SAH ARCHIPEDIA. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  22. ^ "Wichita native achieves her own Olympic glory". The Wichita Eagle. 1996-07-14. pp. 1A, 10A. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
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