Sharon E. Sutton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sharon Egretta Sutton
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| Alma mater | Manhattan School of Music, University of Hartford Columbia University, City University of New York |
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| Institutions | Pratt Institute, Columbia University, University of Cincinnati, University of Michigan, University of Washington |
Sharon Egretta Sutton (born in 1941) is an American architect, teacher, artist, and writer. She is known for her work that helps communities design and improve their own neighborhoods. She is now a retired professor from the University of Washington. In 1984, she made history as the first African American woman to become a full professor in an architecture program at the University of Michigan. She also taught at other famous schools like Parsons School of Design and Columbia University.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sharon Egretta Sutton was born in 1941 in Cincinnati, Ohio. She started playing the piano at age five. This was a time when many places in her neighborhood were separated by race.
Music Studies
Sutton first studied music, focusing on the French horn. She went to the Manhattan School of Music in 1959. Later, she studied at the Hartt College of Music at the University of Hartford. She earned her bachelor's degree in 1963.
After college, Sutton worked as a professional musician in New York City. She performed in symphony orchestras and on Broadway. She was part of the original cast of the famous musical Man of La Mancha.
Architecture and Psychology Studies
In 1967, Sutton began studying at Parsons School of Design. She then studied architecture at Columbia University. There, she was guided by important architects like J. Max Bond Jr. and Romaldo Giurgola. She earned her master's degree in architecture in 1973.
In 1976, she opened her own architecture business. Later, in 1982, she earned two more degrees in psychology from the City University of New York (CUNY).
Career Highlights
Teaching and Writing
Sharon Sutton focuses on helping communities design their own spaces. She especially works with young people and groups who have not had much power. Her research has received funding from many organizations. These include the Ford Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
She has been a visiting professor at Parsons School of Design. She is also an adjunct professor at Columbia University. From 1998 to 2016, she was a professor at the University of Washington.
Sutton has written several books. These include When Ivory Towers Were Black: A Story about Race in America's Cities and Universities (2017). She also wrote Weaving a Tapestry of Resistance: The Places, Power and Poetry of a Sustainable Society (1996). Her book Learning through the Built Environment was published in 1985. She has also written many articles and chapters for other books.
Art and Community Work
Sutton is also a well-known artist. She creates prints and collages. Her artwork has been shown in galleries and museums. It is also part of the Robert Blackburn Collection at the Library of Congress.
She is dedicated to making living spaces better for people who are often overlooked. Currently, she helps design studio teachers at Parsons School of Design. Much of her work explores America's ongoing efforts for racial fairness.
Architecture Achievements
Sharon Sutton became a licensed architect in 1976. She was the twelfth African American woman to get an architecture license. In 1994, she was the first African American woman to become a full professor of architecture. The next year, in 1995, she was the second African American woman to be named a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. This is a very high honor in architecture.
The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) gave her the Distinguished Professor Award in 1995–96. In 1997, she received the "Life Recognition Award" from the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame. The national American Institute of Architects honored her with the Whitney M. Young, Jr., Award in 2011. She also received the Medal of Honor from AIA Seattle in 2014 and AIA New York in 2017. These are the highest awards given by local chapters.
Sutton started her architecture career after getting her license in New York State. She opened her own practice and also began teaching. She taught at Pratt Institute and later at Columbia University.
She then moved to the University of Cincinnati and later to the University of Michigan. At the University of Michigan, she became the first African American woman to be a full professor of architecture. She was also the first African American woman to lead the National Architectural Accrediting Board.
Later, Sutton became a professor at the University of Washington. There, she led a study about how young people from low-income families get involved in their communities. This work helped her receive the AIA Whitney M. Young, Jr. Award.
During her time in Seattle, Sutton served on the Seattle Design Commission. She also led the Capitol Hill Design Review Board. These public service roles earned her the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Seattle Chapter Community Service award and Medal of Honor award.
Books by Sharon E. Sutton
- Sutton, Sharon E., Pedagogy of a Beloved Commons: Pursuing Democracy's Promise through Place-Based Activism, Fordham University Press, New York, 2023.
- Sutton, Sharon E., When Ivory Towers Were Black: A Story about Race in America's Cities and Universities, Fordham University Press, New York, 2017. ISBN: 978-0-823-27612-7
- Sutton, Sharon E., and Kemp, Susan P., editors, The Paradox of Urban Space: Inequality and Transformation in Marginalized Communities, Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-230-10391-7
- Sutton, Sharon E., Weaving a Tapestry of Resistance: The Places, Power, and Poetry of a Sustainable Society, Bergin and Garvey Publishers, Westport, 1996.
- Sutton, Sharon E., Learning through the Built Environment: An Ecological Approach to Child Development, Irvington Press, New York, 1985.
Awards and Honors
- 2024 American Academy of Arts and Letters Architecture Department inductee
- 2023 AIA/ACSA Topaz Medallion for Excellence in Architectural Education Award
- 2023 Architectural Record Women in Architecture Design Leadership Award
- 2020 Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation Oculus
- 2017 American Institute of Architects, New York Chapter Medal of Honor Award
- 2014 American Institute of Architects, Seattle Chapter Medal of Honor Award
- 2011 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Whitney M. Young, Jr. Award
- 2006 American Architectural Foundation K-12 Architectural Education Award of Merit for CEEDS
- 2005 American Institute of Architects (AIA), Seattle Chapter Community Service Award
- 1999 Jeannette and David McKinley Fellowship Faculty Research Support
- 1997 Michigan Women's Hall of Fame Life Recognition Award
- 1996 Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture Distinguished Professor Award
- 1995 American Institute of Architects Elevation to Fellowship
- 1992 University of Michigan Regents Award for Distinguished Public Service
- 1991 American Planning Association Education Award for Teaching the Public about Planning
- 1989 UM School of Business Administration First Round Award, National Zell Lurie Fellowship
- 1986–1989 W.K. Kellogg Foundation Group VII National Fellowship
- 1983 National Endowment for the Arts Design Research Recognition Award
See also
In Spanish: Sharon Egretta Sutton para niños
- African-American architects
- Charles F. McAfee
