Architecture is often considered a symbolic representation of specific cultural moments – a diary of society if you will. However, it is a diary that includes far too few narratives of America's diverse cultures. A glaring omission most trublesome, particularly considering the plethora of evidence documenting the work of African-American architects and builders in this country as far back as the 17th century.

The under-representation of people of color in the profession of architecture is routinely understood as a natural occurrence when in fact, it is anything but. Succinctly put, the lack of African-American presence in the discipline of architecture is not necessarily a failure to know something or to do something, but simply a failure to be something.

This book grows out of an increased concern that the architectural discipline has responded to the ever increasing complex social constructs of responsibility, accountability and liability by narrowing the concerns of architects, focusing on one, albeit indispensable, less than equitably accessible aspect of architecture: design services.

Unfortunately, as technology and design software becomes more advanced and outlets for design information such as magazines, journals and cable TV shows become much more readily accessible, the old paradigm of professional legitimacy based on design expertise alone – a paradigm that has served the profession well for the last century – has outlived its usefulness.

Just as everyone is certain that they have a sense of humor, today everyone is also certain they have a sense of design – and the public no longer looks to architects to confirm their aesthetic sensibilities.

The result of narrowing the professional scope of responsibility and allying itself with the economic fortunes of the tiniest, but wealthiest, sector of our society, the architectural profession limits its influence in the public arena at the same time it decries its perceived irrelevance. An ironic phenomonen indeed, made all the more so by the fact that if this process continues – and there is little indication that it will not – the practice of architecture will cease to exist as a profession authorized by society.

In and of itself, a condition of critical public importance and yet, there is another layer to this story that I believe is even more critical. 

African-Americans represent thirteen percent of the U.S. population, but only seven percent of the students in U.S. schools of architecture – and over half of that 7% attend 7 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).  Add to that the fact that less than 2% of registered architects in the United States are African Americans – a number that has remained unchanged for over 30 years – it becomes highly probable that this under-representation is no accident. According to past AIA president John Anderson, "This is something of critical importance — not just to African Americans, but to all of us."

This work attempts to demonstrate that not only is the architect necessary to society at large, but also vitally important to African-American communities as well, for as architect and author Melvin L. Mitchell, FAIA, has said, "Black America, with a gross national product equal to the tenth largest economy on earth, is woefully under-served architecturally. A new type of entrepreneur-architect is required to provide that service." 

Operating from a base of recent work in the scholarly analysis of spatial theory, race theory, disciplinarity, property and music to understand how activist forms of expression function in shaping and sustaining communities, I mold concepts and information about the site of environmental conflict constructed by rap music and its allied culture into an applicable architectural theory.

Specifically addressing a spatial understanding of hip hop culture, as it is reflected in rap music through the built environment, I identify primary spatial principles generated in response to those spaces that represent the erasure of identity and agency.

My examination of hip hop illustrates a manner in which architects can positively address the elements mentioned above – spatial, disciplinary and professional – within the ideology of an activist architecture. Activist architecture explores the notion of professional responsibility and reveals some interesting possibilities for the future of the architectural discipline in an ever-changing multicultural environment.