Philip Freelon Biography

Philip Freelon (born March 26, 1952), a native of Philadelphia, United States is an African American architect. He is best known as leading the design team (with J. Max Bond, Jr. of Davis Brody Bond and with David Adjaye) of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Some of his other projects include the Center for Civil & Human Rights, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture and the Museum of the African Diaspora. Freelon is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (and the recipient of their Thomas Jefferson Award for Public Architecture), and a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professional. In 2012, President Barack Obama appointed Freelon to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. Freelon is married to six-time Grammy nominated jazz vocalist, Nnenna Freelon.