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Architecture of Nathan Johnson in Michigan
Nathan Johnson (1926-2021) was a pioneer African American architect in Michigan. Johnson arrived in Detroit in 1950 and worked in the offices of Donald White, Michigan's first licensed Black architect in Michigan, before starting his own firm in 1956 on West Grand Boulevard. He first rose to prominence through his commissions for small Black congregations in Detroit. Into the 1960s, Johnson's firm received increasingly larger commissions, including churches, offices, businesses, housing, and more. His affinity for Modern design was a hallmark of his work. Through it all, Johnson was a proactive voice in helping to shape the mid-twentieth century landscape of the city and supported other Black professionals in the city, serving as a mentor for many Black architects of the period.
The African American Recreational Tourism and Negro Motorist Green Book Sites in Michigan project launched in June 2025 and will run through 2027. Interested members of the public can contribute what they know about Green Book sites and will have several opportunities to participate and receive updates on this statewide effort. Click the link to learn about the project, timeline, key project individuals, and how you can be involved!
African American Recreational Tourism Public Input and Participation Opportunities
Learn More!Nathan Johnson played a crucial role in developing the cultural landscape of southeast Michigan after World War II and elevating other Black architects, yet his work has received little formal recognition. None of his buildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, though his Brutalist addition to Second Baptist Church was included as a contributing resource in a revised church nomination. His Stanley's Mannia Café was designated a local historic district in 2017. His small churches were constructed in Black neighborhoods that have seen little attention. No known catalog of all known Nathan Johnson designs exists.
The general public knows little about Johnson's work. This project will give Nathan Johnson the recognition he deserves and simplify the process of listing his work in the National Register of Historic Places, thus increasing access to preservation programs and incentives that can help to protect these important resources.
Together, the study and National Register components will help to better tell the story of Johnson’s work and his influence in the Detroit metropolitan area.
In 2025, the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office was awarded a National Park Service Underrepresented Communities program grant to identify and survey extant properties across the state designed by Nathan Johnson, and nominate one property to the National Register. Noir Design Parti, a Detroit-based non-profit whose mission is to document the contributions of Detroit’s Black architects in the city, is serving as an advisor on the project.
The project and research will create several documents:
For more information on the Architecture of Nathan Johnson in Michigan Project, contact:
Katie Kolokithas, Survey Program Coordinator
State Historic Preservation Office
[email protected] or 517-285-9248
