The National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) has renamed its annual design awards program in honor of the late architect Phil Freelon. 

Freelon passed away on July 9th, 2019 after being diagnosed with ALS in 2016. 

A statement announcing the group's decision to rename the award program in honor of Freelon explains: "NOMA is renaming the decades-old prestigious design awards in honor of Phil Freelon’s notable career, recognizing him as one of the most influential African American architects of our time."

Freelon was a lifelong NOMA member and advocated widely for many of the principles the organization embodies, including its emphasis on empowering and uplifting young, diverse architects within the field. Throughout his career, Freelon led the architectural teams behind a collection of significant projects that celebrate the African American experience, including the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta; the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco; and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson. Freelon also served as one of the principal architects for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.

In a press release announcing the decision, NOMA President Kimberly Dowdell, said, “As an organization recognizing minority architects’ successes, challenges, and triumphs, there is no more fitting person to name our professional design awards after,” adding, “From the start of his career until the end, Phil Freelon was an inspiration to all. The awards, now in his name, will honor the greatest achievements in architectural design each year and remind us to always strive for excellence.” 

The inaugural Phil Freelon NOMA Professional Design Awards will be presented at the NOMA Conference awards dinner in Brooklyn, New York on Saturday, October 19, 2019. Nominations for the awards are due by September 20, 2019.