Public works, professional advocacy

Mortimer M. Marshall Jr., FAIA, was honored with the Whitney Young Award for his continued dedication to architecture as a vehicle for leadership and service.

After receiving an undergraduate architecture degree from Tuskegee University, Marshall rose through the ranks of the military. Eventually appointed director of design on the staff of the U.S. Secretary of Defense, he guided the military’s multi-billion-dollar design and construction program from the late 1960s through the early 1980s. During his directorship, he remained committed to including small businesses and minority-owned firms in public projects.

Following his military position, Marshall founded the Marshall Group outside Washington, D.C., in 1982, offering architectural, engineering, and construction services for public and private clients. Heavily involved in numerous professional organizations, he was the first African American board member of the National Institute of Building Sciences and an active member of the National Organization of Minority Architects. Through the Marshall Group, he has launched a mentorship initiative to partner architects with teachers and students and foster design-related learning.