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Halevy Hercules Simmons, also known as Hal, is a little known black architect who built major projects like the historic Adam’s Mark Hotel in St. Louis, MO. In the 1950’s, Simmons worked as a draftsman for the U.S. government. When a group of DC investors looked for the best draftsmen, they hired Simmons without an interview and only on his written resume. When he arrived they found out he was black. He was given an office near the penthouse to separate him from the white draftsmen.  He was the only black draftsman in the building.

Hal Simmons was born to immigrants from the British West Indies and Barbados. His father was a carpenter and his mother was a housekeeper. He was raised in New York City under an integrated society.  Simmons graduated from Howard University. While there he met his wife, and educated woman from Washington named Shirley Herbert.

In 1962, Simmons wrote a letter to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., offering to rebuild the burned churches in Georgia for one dollar. The letter is now in the archives of The King Center in Atlanta, GA.

Little Known Black History Fact: Halevy Hercules Simmons, Architect  was originally published on blackamericaweb.com

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