Wendell Campbell, the prominent Chicago-based architect, died of natural causes at his home on July 9. He was 81.
Some of Campbell’s notable projects include the DuSable Museum of African American History, the New Bronzeville Military Academy, and the Metcalf Federal Building, all in Chicago. He also developed urban planning strategies for Chicago, New Orleans, Detroit, and Milwaukee. Campbell graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1957 and founded Wendell Campbell Associates in 1966. The firm was later renamed Campbell and Mascal, then Campbell Tiu Campbell. He was named a fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 1979.
Campbell was a founder of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) in 1971 and served as the group’s first president, becoming a leading voice in advocating diversity in architecture. He was a devoted mentor to many younger architects and an active community leader, serving on the boards of NOMA, Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, the Black Ensemble Theatre, AIA Chicago, the Chicago Architectural Assistance Center, and the South Side YMCA, where he would regularly swim.