JAMES C. DODD

Bio:

James C. Dodd, FAIA, was Sacramento's first licensed African American architect. Dodd was born in Texas and he served as an Army lieutenant in World War II. He used his GI Bill to study architecture at UC Berkeley, and after working as a draftsman for the state and a local firm, he opened his own practice called James C. Dodd and Associates in Sacramento, which was open for nearly 40 years. His work can be seen throughout Sacramento. His first major architectural commission was the Shiloh Baptist Church on 9th Avenue, now listed as a landmark. Of note, the Dodd residence will be the southernmost landmark in the city of Sacramento to date, and the first in Golf Course Terrace Estates. The great architect James Dodd, known locally for his work with Rural Communities Housing Development Corporation, has been elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects. Dodd has served the profession on the board of directors of the Central Valley Chapter, as president in 1969; statewide, as director on the CCAIA Board of Directors; and at the national level, served as a regional director on the AIA board, he was also nominated for vice president of the American Institute of Architects for 1982. Dodd was a charter member of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) in 1970, and, in 1974, he received the NAACP Citizens Award for his outstanding work in the Field of Architecture.

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Object:

Object Four - Public service, government, industry, or organization

Year of Elevation: 

1981

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Featured Project Name: 

Sacramento Community/ Convention Center

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Featured Project Location: 

Sacramento, CA

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Featured Project Completion Date: 

1974

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Role in Featured Project: 

Co-Architect

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Featured Project Description:

The Convention Center Complex consists of the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center (formerly Community Center Theater), the Memorial Auditorium, and the Jean Runyon Little Theater. The Convention Center features an exhibit hall with 134,000 square feet of exhibit space, a ballroom, and 31 meeting rooms. The theater hosts national touring artists and performing arts groups such as the Sacramento Ballet and the Philharmonic Orchestra. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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Photography Credit:

SAFE Credit Union/ City of Sacramento