Amaza Lee Meredith,
14th August, 1895.
Amaza Lee Meredith’s life is a testament to the strength and resilience of a black woman who refused to let anything define her. Born on August 14, 1895, in Lynchburg, Virginia, Amaza entered a world that was rigidly divided by race and class. Her parents, Samuel Peter Meredith, a white man, and Emma Pink Kenney, a black woman, were prevented from marrying in Virginia by anti-miscegenation laws. On her birth certificate, she is only identified as Emma Kenney's daughter. The name of the father is left out. But Samuel loved his family and, a carpenter, built them a house. It was he who taught Amaza to read blueprints and instilled in her a love of architecture. He provided for the family until 1915 when the pressures of living in a mixed relationship caused work to dry up and, driven to desperation, he took his own life. Growing up in the racially segregated South, Amaza faced the harsh realities of a society that didn’t quite know how to categorize her mixed-race heritage. But instead of letting this ambiguity limit her, she used it as a source of strength, shaping her identity and her future on her own terms.
Amaza’s early life was marked by a crystal-clear sense of purpose and an insatiable curiosity. She attended the Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute, which is now Virginia State University, where she excelled academically and began to explore her passion for the arts. Her talent was evident, and she went on to earn a teaching certificate, a rare achievement for a Black woman at the time. This was only the beginning of a career that would see her break down barriers and pave the way for future generations of Black women in education, art, and architecture.
In 1930, Amaza completed her Bachelor of Science degree from Columbia University’s Teachers College, further expanding her horizons and deepening her understanding of the world. She didn’t stop there; she also earned a Master of Science degree in 1934 from Columbia. These academic achievements were groundbreaking, not just because of her race and gender, but because she chose to focus on fields that were notoriously closed off to people like her. With her degrees in hand, Amaza returned to Virginia and began a distinguished teaching career at Virginia State University, where she founded the art department and served as a professor for more than two decades.
While teaching, Amaza also began to explore her passion for architecture—a field dominated by white men. Meredith received Virginia's first land grant for African American scholars. Despite the fact that Amaza was never a registered architect, nor had any formal training in it. In 1939, she designed and built Azurest South, her most famous work, on the Virginia State University campus. The house, a stunning example of modernist architecture, was revolutionary in both form and function. Its clean lines and minimalist design were a stark contrast to the traditional Southern architecture that surrounded it. Azurest South wasn’t just a home; it was a statement, a physical representation of Amaza’s belief in progress, modernity, and the power of design to change lives.
Beyond her architectural achievements, Amaza was also deeply committed to creating spaces where African Americans could thrive, free from the constraints of a segregated society. In 1947, she co-founded the Azurest Syndicate, which developed Azurest North, a resort community in Sag Harbor, New York. This community was one of the few places where Black families could vacation freely during segregation. It wasn’t just about providing a place to relax; it was about creating a sanctuary where Black excellence could be celebrated and preserved. Over the course of the 1950s and ’60s, Lena Horne, Harry Belafonte, and Langston Hughes were among those who frequented the vacation spot.
Throughout much of the 20th century, Black people in the US faced numerous obstacles when trying to vacation safely. Segregation and discrimination left few options for African Americans, who were often blocked from accessing beaches due to redlining measures, like low underpasses that buses carrying Black residents couldn’t navigate. While hostile architecture was a subtle foe compared to the overt hostility at public pools—where attempts to swim could lead to physical threats—it was still a significant barrier. Many hotels and beaches outright denied Black people entry. Amid this widespread exclusion, the beachfront community of Sag Harbor in New York offered a rare and welcome exception.
Amaza’s personal life was as unconventional and trailblazing as her professional one. She fell in love with Edna Meade Colson, a fellow educator and the first Black woman to receive a PhD at Virginia State. Living together in Azurest South, a home she designed, Amaza and Edna created a home that was not only a masterpiece of modernist design but also a safe haven where they could live authentically, away from the prying eyes of a judgmental world. Their relationship was a quiet but powerful act of resistance, an affirmation of their right to live and love as they chose.
Today, Amaza’s work is recognized as groundbreaking, not just for its architectural brilliance but for the way it challenged the social norms of the time. Her designs, her teaching, and her life’s work are a testament to the power of creativity and the importance of living authentically. In a world that so often tries to erase those who don’t fit neatly into its narrow definitions, Amaza Lee Meredith stands as a beacon of what it means to live a life of purpose, integrity, and creativity.
Her story is a reminder that strength lies not in conforming to what the world expects of us, but in having the courage to be who we are, no matter the cost. Amaza didn’t just design buildings; she designed a life that was uniquely her own, one that continues to inspire and challenge us to think differently about the world around us.
She smashed barriers through her work, her relationships, and her unwavering commitment to creating spaces where people of all backgrounds could thrive. She passed away on April 9, 1984, aged 90 and is buried in Petersburg, Virginia. Edna died the following year, aged 95, and is buried alongside her.