Black Past – John C. Norman, Architect
by James D. Randall and Anna Evans Gilmer
John C. Norman, Architect
Located in the K of P Building for over forty-five years was the architectural office of the first Black licensed architect and structural engineer in West Virginia, Mr. John C. Norman.
Mr. Norman was born in Bloomfield, New Jersey, October 23, 1892. His early childhood was spent in Oxford, North Carolina. When he was quite young, his mother and father died. In spite of this loss, he was determined to “be somebody,” and on his own, attended the Mary Potter School in North Carolina where the esteemed Miss Lucy Laney was principal. She played an important part in his life by emphasizing moral values along with perfection in skills. He also attended the Agricultural and Technical College in Greensboro, North Carolina.
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