The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office of the Michigan Strategic Fund has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund Underrepresented Communities Grant program to support documentation and preservation of the work of Detroit-based modernist architect Nathan Johnson.
The announcement was made by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and marks a significant step toward formally recognizing Johnson’s contributions to Michigan’s architectural and cultural history.
The grant will fund the hiring of a preservation consultant to prepare a comprehensive study of Johnson’s career and body of work. The study will include a detailed survey of buildings designed by Johnson as well as the development of a historic context that places his work within the broader narrative of twentieth-century architecture in Detroit and the surrounding metropolitan area.
Information gathered during this phase will be used to nominate at least one Johnson-designed property to the National Register of Historic Places. In addition, the project will produce a Multiple Property Documentation Form, a tool that will make it easier to list additional Johnson-designed sites in the National Register in the future.
Together, the study and National Register documentation are intended to more fully tell the story of Johnson’s influence on architecture and urban development in Detroit.
Project leaders say this work will also help ensure that Johnson’s legacy is preserved and accessible for future generations. Noir Design Parti, a Detroit-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to document the contributions of Black architects in the city, will serve as an advisor throughout the project.
“Funding from the National Park Service’s Underrepresented Communities Grant program will allow SHPO to further its work in bringing broader awareness to the histories of underrepresented communities across Michigan,” said State Historic Preservation Officer Ryan Schumaker.
“In partnership with Noir Design Parti, we will use these grant dollars to bring greater visibility to Nathan Johnson’s work and increased understanding of his lasting influence on architecture and design in the state.”
Born in 1926, Nathan Johnson graduated from Kansas State University before relocating to Detroit in 1950, a period when opportunities for Black architects were limited nationwide. After arriving in the city, Johnson gained valuable experience working in the offices of Donald White, Michigan’s first licensed Black architect, as well as for renowned Los Angeles-based architect Victor Gruen. In 1956, Johnson opened his own architectural firm on West Grand Boulevard, positioning himself at the center of Detroit’s evolving built environment.
Johnson first rose to prominence through commissions for small Black congregations across Detroit. These early projects allowed him to develop and refine a design approach rooted in Modernism, a style that would become a hallmark of his work.
As Detroit grew and changed in the postwar era, Johnson’s reputation expanded, and by the 1960s, his firm was securing larger and more complex commissions. His portfolio came to include dozens of Detroit and Detroit-area churches, office buildings, commercial spaces, housing developments, and other civic and community-oriented projects that reflected both modern design principles and the needs of the communities they served.
In addition to his private practice, Johnson worked closely with the City of Detroit on a range of public initiatives.
In 1965, he was appointed as the Board of Education’s first Black architect, a milestone that reflected both his professional standing and the gradual opening of opportunities for Black designers in public-sector work. During the 1970s, Johnson was also retained to design stations for Detroit’s People Mover, contributing to a major transportation project that remains a visible part of the city’s infrastructure.
Throughout his career, Johnson was recognized not only for his architectural achievements but also for his commitment to supporting other Black professionals. He was a proactive voice in shaping the mid-twentieth-century landscape of Detroit and served as a mentor to many Black architects who followed him, helping to open doors in a profession that had long excluded people of color. He continued opening doors for people until his death in 2021, when he was 96 years old.
“Documenting the legacy of Detroit’s Black architects is essential to telling a fuller and more accurate story of our city,” said Saundra Little, FAIA, NOMA of Noir Design Parti.
“Nathan Johnson was an AIA Detroit Gold Medal recipient and one of the most influential architects shaping Detroit’s modern landscape—a significant architect who also happened to be Black. His story deserves to be part of the official narrative of Michigan’s architectural heritage, and we are honored to support this effort to ensure his work is recognized and preserved for future generations.”
Supporters of the project say the lack of documentation for his work has contributed to Johnson’s relative absence from official narratives of Michigan architecture, even as many of his buildings continue to serve communities across southeast Michigan. By conducting a formal survey, developing a historic context, and preparing National Register documentation, the project aims to correct that omission.
In addition to increasing public awareness, the initiative is expected to simplify future efforts by property owners to nominate Johnson-designed buildings to the National Register of Historic Places.
National Register listing can open the door to preservation programs and financial incentives, including tax credits and grants, that help owners maintain and protect historic properties.
Project leaders say expanding access to these tools will be critical to safeguarding Johnson’s legacy and ensuring that his contributions remain part of Detroit’s physical and cultural landscape.
