John S. Chase Architectural Drawings
Scope and Contents
This collection is primarily composed of architectural drawings. There is also one document box of office records, correspondence, small-format sketches, and photographs relating to Chase’s projects.
Dates
- 1949-1993
- Majority of material found in 1971-1988
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish or reproduce materials from the John S. Chase Architectural Drawings must be obtained from the Houston Metropolitan Research Center or the appropriate copyright holder.
Biographical / Historical
John Saunders Chase, Jr. was born January 23, 1925 in Annapolis, Maryland to Viola Hall Chase and John S. Chase, Sr. After being introduced to architecture by a high school teacher, Chase received a B.S. in architectural engineering from Hampton University. He then became the first African-American to attend and graduate from the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Architecture in 1952. He was also the first African-American licensed to practice architecture in the state of Texas. After moving to Houston, Chase became a professor of drafting at Texas Southern University and founded his own architectural firm in 1954. John S. Chase was elected to the AIA College of Fellow in 1977 and in 1980, was appointed as the first African-American to the US Commission on Fine Arts. He was also a World War II veteran having served in the US Army from 1944 to 1946. Chase and his wife, Drucie, raised three children in Houston. John S. Chase, Jr. died on March 29, 2012.
Extent
.5 Linear Feet (1 box and 275 architectural drawings)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
One box worth of supplemental information was removed from the rolled drawings for preservation reasons. Most of these records pertain to jobs featured in the drawing portion of the collection. Folders are arranged in alphabetical order by title.
Series 1 Office Records
Series 2 Drawings
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Drucie R. Chase on August 20, 2015.
Processing Information
Processed by Samantha Bruer, March 2017.
- African American Architects Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Architects Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Architecture --Designs and plans Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Religious architecture Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Residential architecture Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- John S. Chase Architectural Drawings
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Samantha Bruer
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding Aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Houston History Research Center Repository
