Collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access will require additional advanced notice. Copies of digital files will be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room upon request.
We perform virus scans upon ingest and upon request for access. However, not all virus software profiles will catch all threats, especially newer, not yet recognized ones. The researcher assumes all risk when opening files.
The Phil Freelon Papers consists of architectural drawings, extensive project files, and related architectural records. The projects documented include: Hillside High School; Diamond View Office Building; Durham Bulls Athletic Park; Durham Police Department; Durham Solid Waste Facility; Hope Valley Elementary; and The Hill Center in Durham, N.C.; and Lake Johnson Boat House and the North Carolina Old Revenue Building in Raleigh, N.C. Also included in the collection are some items from Freelon's personal archive documenting his career in architecture. Most of the records in the collection relate to Freelon's earlier projects in his career (during the 1990s). The collection also contains five architectural models and selected photographs of Freelon's work.
Phil Freelon (1953-2019), was an African American architect who was founder and president of The Freelon Group, Inc., and then managing director and director of design of Perkins + Will, located in Durham, North Carolina. Freelon specialized in public architecture and was best known for his design of cultural museums and educational buildings in Washington, D.C.; Baltimore, Maryland; Chicago, Illinois; San Francisco, California; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Atlanta and Augusta, Georgia; and Durham, Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina. Freelon led the design team that gave shape to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. He was a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, won the 2012 Design Guild Award, and the same year was appointed to the United States Commission of Fine Arts by President Obama.
Phil Freelon (26 March 1953-9 July 2019), was an African American architect who was founder and president of The Freelon Group, Inc., and then managing director and director of design of Perkins + Will, located in Durham, North Carolina. Freelon specialized in public architecture and was best known for his design of cultural museums and educational buildings in Washington, D.C.; Baltimore, Maryland; Chicago, Illinois; San Francisco, California; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Atlanta and Augusta, Georgia; and Durham, Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina. Freelon led the design team that gave shape to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. He was a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, won the 2012 Design Guild Award, and the same year was appointed to the United States Commission of Fine Arts by President Obama.
Freelon was a 1975 graduate of North Carolina State University's College of Design with a Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture. He received a Master of Architecture degree from MIT in 1977. In 1989, he spent a year of independent study at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design on a Loeb Fellowship. He served as adjunct faculty at North Carolina State University’s College of Design and was a visiting critic and lecturer at several universities including Harvard and MIT. Freelon was named Designer of the Year for 2008 in Contract Magazine, won first prize in the PPG Furniture Design Competition, was the 2009 recipient of the AIA Thomas Jefferson Award for public architecture, and 2010 recipient of AIA North Carolina’s Gold Medal.
Phil Freelon married Chinyere Nnenna Pierce, now a noted jazz singer known professionally as Nnenna Freelon, in 1979. They had two sons, Deen and Pierce, and a daughter, Maya Freelon.
The Phil Freelon Papers consists of architectural drawings, extensive project files, and related architectural records. The projects documented include: Hillside High School; Diamond View Office Building; Durham Bulls Athletic Park; Durham Police Department; Durham Solid Waste Facility; Hope Valley Elementary;and The Hill Center in Durham, N.C.; and Lake Johnson Boat House and the North Carolina Old Revenue Building in Raleigh, N.C. Also included in the collection are some items from Freelon's personal archive documenting his career in architecture. Most of the records in the collection relate to Freelon's earlier projects in his career (during the 1990s). The collection also contains five architectural models and selected photographs of Freelon's work.
This collection is arranged into five series:
Born-digital materials are integrated into series based on content. The original order of the files has been retained.
The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.
[Identification of item], Phil Freelon Papers, MC 00553, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Gift of Phil Freelon, 2015 (Accessions 2015.0080 and 2015.0111)
Processed by: Gwynn Thayer and Jessica Serrao, June 2015; machine-readable finding aid created by: Gwynn Thayer and Jessica Serrao, June 2015. Finding aid updated by Liz Bell because of additional processing. Finding aid updated by Victor Betts because of additional processing, November 2019. Finding aid updated by Phillip MacDonald because of born-digital processing, November 2019; Digital materials processed by Alexander Daniels, 2023 August
The collection is organized into five principal series:
Collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access will require additional advanced notice. Copies of digital files will be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room upon request.
We perform virus scans upon ingest and upon request for access. However, not all virus software profiles will catch all threats, especially newer, not yet recognized ones. The researcher assumes all risk when opening files.
For more information contact us via mail, phone, or our web form.
Mailing address:
Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111
Phone: (919) 515-2273
[Identification of item], Phil Freelon Papers, MC 00553, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.