One Brick at a Time: Robert R. Taylor’s Architectural Vision for Tuskegee Institute

Taylor as a student at MIT, ca. 1890.

M.I.T. Museum

This lesson is part of the National Park Service’s Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) program

Introduction

Tuskegee Institute, now Tuskegee University, is the first National Historic Site on an active college campus. Before Tuskegee became a staple in the lives of many Americans, one man took on the task to design buildings from a mere vision. His name was Robert Robinson Taylor. Robert Robinson Taylor was born free. His formerly enslaved father was fortunate enough to be able to send him to one of the best architectural schools in the United States, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.). He was the first African American to graduate from M.I.T., graduating with a degree in architecture. Dr. Booker T. Washington heard of the young Robert R. Taylor and invited him to join Tuskegee Institute’s faculty. After Taylor graduated from M.I.T. in 1892, he traveled to Tuskegee, Alabama to design buildings that still stand on the campus of Tuskegee University today.

Lesson Contents

About This Lesson
Includes authors, learning objectives, materials for students, and details about visiting the site

Getting Started: Inquiry Question

Locating the Site
Map 1: A partial map of Tuskegee University showing historic campus buildings (Tuskegee Institute)

Determining the Facts
Reading 1: “From Tech to Tuskegee: The life of Robert Robinson Taylor”
Reading 2: “The New Laundry”

Visual Evidence
Photo 1: Thrasher Hall
Photo 2: The George Washington Carver Museum

Optional Activities
Activity 1: Robert R. Taylor and Tuskegee
Activity 2: Connect with the Arts
Activity 3: Visiting the Oaks

References and Additional Resources

About This Lesson

This lesson plan, “One Brick at a Time: Robert R. Taylor’s architectural vision for Tuskegee Institute” focuses on the architectural impact of Robert R Taylor on the Tuskegee Institute, which now a National Historic Site. This lesson plan was created by the Tuskegee Institute NHS Greening Youth Intern Fatimah S. Purvis. Revision assistance was provided in 2022 by Sarah (Nestor) Lane, an educator currently located in Washington state. This lesson is one in a series that brings the important stories of historic places into classrooms across the country.

Objectives
1.) Describe the influence Robert R. Taylor’s background and education had on the construction of historical buildings at Tuskegee Institute;
2.) Describe the influences and impact of historical architectural designs seen within the Taylor’s building designs;
3.) Combine information from written and visual evidence to describe the societal, cultural, and historical influences on, and impact of, Taylor and the Tuskegee Institute.

Materials for Students
1.) A partial map of Tuskegee University (Tuskegee Institute)
2.) Readings: 1) “From Tech to Tuskegee,” and 2) Robert R. Taylor and Tuskegee
3.) Images of Science (Thrasher) Hall
4.) Images of the George Washington Carver Museum
5.) Drawing of the Tuskegee Institute Campus (1967)
6.) Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site map

Visiting the site

Tuskegee Institute is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Tuskegee Institute’s visitor center parking lot is located next to The Oaks. The address to The Oaks is 905 West Montgomery Rd, Tuskegee AL, 36088. This site is open to the public and there is no general admission fee. See The Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site’s NPS web page (https://www.nps.gov/tuin/index.htm) to schedule a tour. See the Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/item/98500623/ ) and the National Register of Historic Places (http://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/AssetDetail?assetID=18455994-34fe-4453-96a3-12da468b2d69 ) for additional information.

Positioning this lesson in the curriculum:

• Time Period: 19th Century and the Progressive Era

• Topics: This lesson can be used in history and social studies curricula to cover topics related to the late 19th century and early 20th century. Students will describe the historical and societal influences on Tuskegee Institute’s educational structures and design.

United States History Standards for Grades 5-12
This lesson relates to the following National Standards for History from the UCLA National Center for History in the Schools:

Era 6: The Development of the Industrial United States (1870-1900)

Standard 1B: The student understands the rapid growth of cities and how urban life changed.

Standard 2B: The student understands “scientific racism,” race relations, and the struggle for equal rights

Curriculum Standards for Social Studies
This lesson relates to the following Curriculum Standards themes for Social Studies from the National Council for the Social Studies:

Theme 1: Culture
Theme 2: Time, Continuity, and Change
Theme 3: People, Places, and Environments
Theme 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions

Relevant Common Core Standards
This lesson relates to the following Common Core English and Language Arts Standards for History and Social Studies for middle and high school students:

Key Ideas and Details
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY. RH. 6-12.2

Craft and Structure
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH. 6-12.6

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-12.7

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH. 6-12.10

Alabama Social Studies Standards
This lesson relates to the following Alabama Social Studies Standards for alignment with teaching with state-based historical places:

United States History II: The Industrial Revolution to the Present (Eleventh grade)

Standard 1: Explain the transition of the United States from an agrarian society to an industrial nation prior to World War I.

Standard 2: Evaluate social and political origins, accomplishments, and limitations of Progressivism.

Standard 5: Evaluate the impact of social changes and the influence of key figures in the United States from World War I through the 1920s.

National Core Arts Standards
This lesson relates to the following Anchor Standards for K-12 by themes, by NAEA (2014):
Responding
Standard #7: Perceive and analyze artistic work.
Standard #8: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
Connecting
Standard #10: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
Standard #11: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.

Getting Started: Essential Question
What do you think Robert Robinson Taylor’s architectural vision was for Tuskegee Institute?

This image shows the original Chapel on the campus of Tuskegee Institute. The Chapel was one of the first buildings in Macon County to have electricity.

Detroit Publishing Co., publisher. Retrieved from Library of Congress

Photo Analysis

1.) Carefully examine the image. What do you notice? What are your thoughts?

2.) The Chapel, located on the campus of Tuskegee Institute, was the first building in Macon County to have electricity. Why is this historically and societally significant for the late 1800s? What message(s) do you think this conveyed to students, faculty, and local community members?

Locating the Site
Map 1: A partial map of Tuskegee University (Tuskegee Institute)

The map shows the historic district of Tuskegee Institute (modern day Tuskegee University). Most red (highlighted) buildings were designed, or partially designed, by Robert R. Taylor. The oldest building designed by Taylor is Thrasher Science Hall (middle right on map).

NPS

Questions for Map 1

1.) What familiar names are included on this map? (Names of monuments, buildings) What do you know of their connections to Tuskegee Institute?



2.) What events and societal contexts influenced the educational experiences and living conditions of African Americans during the early 1900s?



3.) Considering the time and both historical and societal contexts, what was the significance of Tuskegee Institute’s presence in Tuskegee, Alabama?




4.) What interest do you think Dr. Booker T. Washington had in hiring Mr. Taylor to design many of the Institute’s buildings?

Determining the Facts
Reading 1
An excerpt from an article titled “From Tech to Tuskegee: The life of Robert Robinson Taylor” by Clarence G. Williams

“At Tuskegee, Taylor was known as a hard, productive worker and as a devoted advocate of Washington's educational and social vision. His first building on campus--Science Hall--was completed in 1893. Max Bennett Thrasher, a prominent white ally of Washington's (Science Hall was later renamed Thrasher Hall in his honor), described the building as "a handsome three-story brick building containing class-rooms, laboratories and several sleeping rooms for the teachers and boys." It was constructed entirely by students, using bricks made also by students under Taylor's supervision. The project epitomized Washington's philosophy of instilling in Tuskegee students, the descendants of ex-slaves, the value and dignity of physical labor; it provided an example to the world--and especially to potential donors--of the capabilities of blacks in the building trades, and it underscored the larger potential of the manual training curricula being developed at Tuskegee. The proportions and parts of the design of Science Hall harked back to Taylor's MIT thesis, completed just a year earlier.”

Questions for Reading 1
1.) Dr. Booker T. Washington worked hard to build a financial foundation for the school. Max Bennett Thrasher was not the sole white patron of Tuskegee Institute. While Thrasher contributed his writing talents, northern industrialists such as Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller contributed funds. Why do you think significant figures, including some wealthy white Americans, donated funds to Historically Black institutions during the late 19th and early 20th centuries?




2.) What experiences of Robert Robinson Taylor (such as educational and/or social experiences at M.I.T.) may have influenced his vision and architectural plans for the Institute, including Thrasher Hall?
[Note: Further evidence for this question may be developed with biographical resources in Optional Activity 1.]



3.) What was Dr. Washington’s purpose in engaging students in manual training, such as brickmaking? Do you agree or disagree with his beliefs outlined in the reading? Why?

Reading 2
“The New Laundry” – an excerpt from Ellen Weiss’ Robert R. Taylor and Tuskegee biography

“The New Laundry is a minor gem of architectural classicism. Its temple-like facade with a pediment over the arcades an ennobling pilaster strips on four sides granted forever the prestige Washington wanted for the less prestigious tasks. Even the water table at the base of the walls is special, increasing in depth and complexity as the hillside falls away by using projecting strips of parallel or diagonally laid bricks, headers, and stretchers. Such details engage questing eyes, especially those of young bricklayers learning their craft’s enrichments. In 1938 Tuskegee’s laundry was remodeled as an office, laboratory, and museum for George Washington Carver. The U.S. National Park Service has owned and operated it since 1974 as the Carver Museum and National Historic Site visitors’ center.”


Questions for Reading 2

1.) The “New Laundry” was also built using student-made bricks. Use the reading’s descriptions and prior knowledge of brick-built buildings to sketch a few of the architectural details you would view when visiting the “New Laundry” after its construction. Then, review photo 5 (below) to add on and revise your sketch. [The “New Laundry” is today’s George Washington Carver Museum.]



2.) Why may Robert R. Taylor design the “new laundry” with a pediment? What architecture style is known for incorporating pediments? [A pediment is the triangular, upper part of a building in a classical style.]



3.) The building now serves as the George Washington Carver Museum and is operated by the National Park Service. What connections does Dr. George Washington Carver have to Tuskegee Institute? What types of exhibits and/or artifacts may you see in the museum today?

Visual Evidence

Photo 1: Thrasher Hall

The image above shows modern day Science (Thrasher) Hall, named after Max Bennett Thrasher, a journalist.

Courtesy of Fatimah Purvis for NPS.

Photo 2: Original Thrasher Hall bell tower

Side view of the original bell tower of Thrasher Hall.

Courtesy of Fatimah Purvis for NPS.

Photo 3: Home of tower’s bell today

The original bell that was housed in the bell tower of Thrasher Hall.
The actual bell reads "Blake Bell Co. ' A gift to the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute. From Northern Friends. April 19, 1894."

The plaque reads: "Thrasher Hall, renovated in 1983, was built in 1893 by teachers and students using brick they made. Only the exterior walls remain from the original building. The bell above rang for class changes. It was located in the building's bell tower until 1983. "

Courtesy of Fatimah Purvis for the NPS.

Photo 4: Bricks at Thrasher Hall

The image shows bricks from Thrasher Hall that were produced by former Tuskegee Institute (University) students. The bricks were made in “White Hall Valley” on the campus of Tuskegee University.

Courtesy of Fatimah Purvis for the NPS.

Questions for Photos 1 - 4:

1.) What features do you notice in Taylor’s architectural designs?



2.) Students were paid about 2.5 cents per hour doing manual labor to earn their degree, resulting in many of the buildings constructed at Tuskegee Institute, as shown in the photos.



3.) Looking at the image of the bricks of Thrasher Hall, how do you think brick making has evolved? What differences do you notice in the bricks? Do you think this was intentional?



4.) What is the importance of the bell and the bell tower? How are bell towers used and/or symbols today?

Photos 5 - 7: The George Washington Carver Museum and George Washington Carver

Front view of the George Washington Carver Museum, located on the campus of Tuskegee University

Photo Courtesy of Fatimah Purvis, NPS Photo

One of the many arches that are implemented into the building's exterior design

Courtesy of Fatimah Purvis, NPS Photo

George Washington Carver and a young boy pictured outside of the Carver Museum

Photo Courtesy of Fatimah Purvis

Questions for Photos 5 – 7:

1.) What architectural designs and influences do you see within the photo of the George Washington Carver Museum (the former “New Laundry”)?



2.) Why may Robert R. Taylor have incorporated different types of architectural design in his work at the Institute? (Examples: Connections across buildings to Greek Revival, Roman, Victorian, and/or other architectural styles)[Note: If students do not yet have background knowledge on architectural styles, you may use online resources and images such as this field guide lesson with example images. Educators and advanced students may be interested in this Preservation Brief 17: Architectural Character—Identifying the Visual Aspects of Historic Buildings as an Aid to Preserving their Character (nps.gov)]

3.) If you were tasked with constructing a blueprint of an academic building influenced by Ancient Roman architecture, what would you include? Why?

Putting it All Together

In this lesson, students learned about Robert R. Taylor’s architectural impact at the Tuskegee Institute, as well as the role of students as providing manual labor in helping the vision come to life at a time with complicated race relations and societal contexts. Use the following activities to take your students further into Robert R. Taylor’s history and his architectural designs.

Optional Activity 1

Robert R. Taylor and Tuskegee

Have students reconsider the following from Reading 1: “What experiences of Robert Robinson Taylor (such as educational and/or social experiences at M.I.T.) may have influenced his vision and architectural plans for the Institute, including Thrasher Hall?”
Provide students with additional resources on Taylor to develop their responses to the question with more biographical evidence. Responses may be a digital product, such as a slideshow or video, or written, such as an extended response or essay.
Examples of biographical resources include:

• Biography entry for Robert R. Taylor
• Ellen Weiss’ book (or excerpts, in lieu of full text) titled Robert R. Taylor and Tuskegee: An African American Architect Designs for Booker T. Washington [Note: This text best serves high school students.]

Provide guidelines to students to include the following in their responses:

1. Challenges Taylor faced (such as working to become the first African American M.I.T. graduate)
2. Why Taylor may have continued to work for Tuskegee Institute (Tuskegee University) for his full career
3. Illustration (student depiction) of Thrasher Hall (Taylor’s first building at Tuskegee Institute), or another historical campus building designed by Taylor, with a caption connecting the architectural work back to his vision / background
4. A conclusion that includes a connected response to the essential question, “What do you think Robert Robinson Taylor’s vision was for Tuskegee Institute?”

Optional Activity 2

Connect with the Arts

Map 2: Drawing of the Tuskegee Institute Campus (1967)

Map 3: Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site

On Map 3, you will see a list of historic buildings (most were designed by Robert R. Taylor). Use Map 1, Map 2, and Map 3 as references for students.

Support student questioning and reflection:

• Looking at the map(s), what similarities do you see with the location of the historic buildings?

• What intentional planning is seen in the design of the campus? (Use maps 1 and 2)

• Essential Question connection: What do you think Robert Robinson Taylor’s vision was for Tuskegee Institute?

Have students choose an arts integration product:

• Art replica of a campus building from the map designed by Robert R. Taylor (sketch, watercolor, painting) with written description of the architectural design choices.

• Create a digital interactive map of the Tuskegee University campus historical buildings, using the above maps as a guide, with years and architectural design highlights. This could be done using a picture of the map within a slideshow, and linked slides to areas on the map.

• Examine one of Taylor’s buildings more closely. Sketch and label design elements. In writing, compare the building to original design influences (ex. Find a visual piece of evidence of Roman design to compare directly to Taylor’s design.)
  
  

Optional Activity 3

Visiting The Oaks

Robert R. Taylor was the original architect behind The Oaks, the home of Dr. Booker T. Washington.

The students can take a trip to The Tuskegee Institute National Historic site where they will be able to tour The Oaks. Remind them to note architectural designs of the home. (Students should bring journals or sketch books.) (Virtual tours and/or video, photos, can be substituted as needed due to location.)

While there, students should consider the following (teachers can ask these during the visit or provide as a post-reflection activity):

1. What year was the house built? How does this compare with the years other buildings on campus were completed?

2. What is the style of the home? How is this seen within details of the home? Be specific.

3. What materials were used within the home? (Note the type and design of the wood, and how that is shown in the name of “The Oaks.”)

4. What elements of the home were made by students?

5. The Oaks home was the first home in Macon County to have electricity. It also had indoor plumbing for five bathrooms, which was rare for the early 1900s. How and why is the home and its design significant to the historical and societal contexts of the time?
   

References and Contributing Resources

Bisher, Catherine W. and Weiss, Ellen. Taylor, Robert R. (1868-1942). North Carolina Architects and Builders Biographical Dictionary. 2018. https://ncarchitects.lib.ncsu.edu/people/P000489

George Washington Carver Museum. Tuskegee, 11 July 2016.

Nelson, Lee. Preservation Brief 17: Architectural Character—Identifying the Visual Aspects of Historic Buildings as an Aid to Preserving their Character (nps.gov). National Park Service, Technical Preservation Services. 1988. www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/17-architectural-character.htm

Old Chapel. Tuskegee University, 3 Nov. 2011.

OpenLab at City Tech. Introduction to Architecture: Lesson 10: Field Guide to Architectural Styles. Open Educational Resources for Architecture, n.d. openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/architecture-oer/course-by-week/lesson-10-field-guide-to-architectural-styles/

Purvis, Fatimah. George Washington Carver Museum. Tuskegee, July 2018.

Purvis, Fatimah. Thrasher Hall. Tuskegee, Mar. 2018.

Randolph, Paul. “Tuskegee Institute, Tuskegee, Alabama. Campus Master Plan.” The Library of Congress, Library of Congress, 1967, www.loc.gov/item/2010648315/.

Robert Robinson Taylor. Massachusetts, 1890.

“Taylor at Tuskegee.” Robert R. Taylor and Tuskegee: an African American Architect Designs for Booker T. Washington, by Ellen Weiss and Robert Robinson. Taylor, NewSouth Books, 2012, pp. 45–74.

Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service). (2016, March 7). Retrieved July 25, 2018, from https://www.nps.gov/tuin/index.htm

Williams, Clarence G. “From 'Tech' to Tuskegee: The Life of Robert. Robinson Taylor, 1868-1942.” MIT History, MIT, 13 Jan. 1998, https://wayback.archive-it.org/7963/20190702041158/https:/libraries.mit.edu/archives/mithistory/blacks-at-mit/taylor.html