Dream Builder

The Story of Architect
Philip Freelon

Lee & Low Books
(pub. 1.14.2020) 
40 pages

A True Tale with

A Cherry On Top   

A uthor:  Kelly Starling Lyons
      and illustrator:  Laura Freeman

 
C haracter: Philip Freelon

O verview: 
    
 "You've seen the building. Now meet the man whose life went into it.

Philip Freelon's grandfather was an acclaimed painter of the Harlem Renaissance. His father was a successful businessman who attended the 1963 March on Washington. When Phil decided to attend architecture school, he created his own focus on African American and Islamic designers. He later chose not to build casinos or prisons, instead concentrating on schools, libraries, and museums--buildings that connect people with heritage and fill hearts with joy. And in 2009, Phil's team won a commission that let him use his personal history in service to the country's: the extraordinary Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture."

T antalizing taste: 
     "In Phil Freelon's world, art breathes dreams to life.
     Everywhere he looks around his Philadelphia home, paintings and drawings greet him from the walls. Phil listens to his parents discuss artists at the dinner table. He watches his big sister splatter canvases with creativity. He plays basketball with his buddies and carries a sketchbook around his neighborhood. Buildings, roses, people passing on the street: Phil sees them all and draws clear and strong.

And something more: Dream Builder includes an Afterword written by Philip Freelon and he explains his experience of designing the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture: "Coming of age during the civil rights movement, I felt compelled to contribute in some way to the struggle for social justice. As my career as an architect evolved, I continually sought opportunities to bring my design skills into alignment with my desire to make positive contributions to my community and beyond...
     My involvement with this amazing project was an honor and a privilege - and the pinnacle of my career. The decades-long journey leading up to the museum's opening included significant contributions from countless individuals and organizations."

         Kelly Starling Lyons writes in her Author's Note: "Over a series of meetings, I interviewed [Phil Freelon] and his wonderful wife, Grammy-nominated jazz singer and composer Nnenna Freelon, in their home... With every project, Phil showed all of us how to dream bigger and bolder. He was a man of integrity, talent, and vision. I mourned with people around the nation when Phil passed away in July 2019 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)... This book is a tribute to Phil and all of the dream builders around the world."