Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-04-25

OF the united States, at the
Top of His Profession.
That the African Methodist Epis-
copal Church needs a supervising Ar
chitect is a fact which is generally
agreed upon throughout the connec-
tion by Bishops, General Ofacers.
PASTORS, Laymen, etc, almost with
out an exception, and especially
those who have studied the Christian
Art through ancient. medieval and
modern history, and know that a
building Of worship should not only
be substantial in construction. hut be
of churchiy design, and we'll arrane-
ed in and out, so when one enters n
or sees II, they will know that II is a
temple fitted and arranged for the
worship OF God. Thousands OF nm
necessary dollars are spent yearly in
our rural and country districts and
many of our cities and towns have
unsightly and poorly arranged
churches.
thousands are also spent yearly with
white architects and builders and
workmeny which is a loss to our race
When a white architect or builder
designs or erects a church edifce for
a Negro congregation, Il Is very sell
uom that Negro workmen receive
anything from this work. The Ne
groes of the country and especially
the A M. +. Church have reached a
pcint where they must and will sup
port, uphold and appreciate the tai
ent and ability among themselves.
A good example OF this was when
DR.. G. w. Mossell. Pastor of st.
John A. NJ. f. Church employed ]. A.
LankfOrd and Bro. one OF our own
churchmen and race to design and
supervise the building of the ST.
John A. NJ. f. Church and Parsonage
and the overhauling and decorating
OF the church where the general
conference viii convene In May. 1t
has been said by Bishop Gaines, Or
and Mrs. Collett and many other of
our churchmen VINO have visited the
new Parsonage and noticed the other
work. that this Parsonage is of a
purely classical design, and the best
and most beautiful owned by the
connection.
Mr.. Landlord designed and super
vised the work and worked all Ne
gro mechanics, workmen, and labor
on this job. He is one OF our own,
having received the Master OF Science
Degree from Morris Brown College
and WiIberforce University. We be-
lieve that the church should make
MIR. Landlord supervising architect.
He can save the church thousands of
dollars yearly, as well as put thous-
ands OF dollars in its treasury to the
credit of some one OF the depart
ments.
He is the pioneer architect of
a
common sense and judgment. He
has not only in the past ten years
designed, planned and supervised the
best residences, church esiifices. bus
inesS places, schools. manufacturing
and industrial plants owned by the
Negroes OF this country. but has gone
in architectural contest with the best
white architects OF the country and
won out over them on pure merit.
good example Of this is less than
two months ago, he went in a con-
test for a white Presbyterian stone
church edifice, with s architects from
eight different cities of the country.
before a white democratic commit
tee and the following came out in
the associated press OF the country:
Potosi, MO- A. Lankford and
Bro, Architects and Builders of
Washington, ID. C., have Just been
selected to plan and design their new
stone church, which will be the finest
In the city. There were nine com
petitors from different sections of
the country in the architects contest
for this building, all white except
j. A. Lankford and Bro, whose plans
were found to be most satisfactory
from a standpoint OF beauty, design
and arrangement. in every way over
those given by his white competi- |
tors"
Mr.. Landlord was a short time
ago unanimously elected by the
Board of Directors of the National
Negro Fair Association OF Mobile.
Ala, supervising architect and engi- |
neer OF that National Organization. |
IL Will be remembered also that in |
the architects contest for the Negro |
Building for the jamestown Exposi- |
ton, the supervising architect of the
United States said that 81. A. I.ank-
ford's plans rank first in every re- |
spect from standpoint OF design, 1
beauty and cheapness."
Landlord is from one of the oldest |
and best families OF the State of !
Missouri. In 1901 he married the
refined and cultured granddaughter |
Of Bishop II. NJ. Turner, Senior
Bishop OF the A. M. z. Church.
Those who may desire Mr. Lank-
lords services at any time may |
write him at his main Office, 317-6th
ST., N. W., Washington, ID C..