TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
James M. Whitley, Jr. 1934–2021 Architect, Civic Leader, U.S. Air Force
By Aaron Williams
and his brother were the firm's first Afri- can American employees. He served in the United States Air Force and rose to the rank of captain. Whitley began his career working for E. Keith Haige, his former KSU professor, where Whitley had two commissions from churches that are standing to this day. In 1963, Whitley founded Whitley/ Whitley Architects and Planners Inc, a full-service architectural and planning firm. The firm planned and designed numerous projects in Cleveland and the State of Ohio for various city and state public agencies and services for cities and community groups in dozens of major municipalities throughout the United States. In the Cleveland metropolitan area, the firm was involved with work on Cleveland Gateway Development Jacobs Field, the Cleveland State University Convocation Center, Lincoln Junior High School, East Cleveland City Schools, Warrensville City Schools Na- tatorium, the Central Area Multi-Service Center, CMHA, NASA, and the Cleve- land Clinic Guesthouse development. Other projects have included Kent State University's Fashion Museum, Cuyahoga County Community Col- lege's Technical Learning Center, and Cleveland's John F. Kennedy Recreation Center. RTA's Train Stations W.98th and Bus Maintenance facility. Whitley's firm has also designed numerous hous- ing units and worked on several rehabili- tation projects. The firm also was recognized with numerous awards The Greater Cleve- land Urban League recognized the Whitley family as the Family of the Year for their work in the community.
Numerous media recognized Whit- ley, the firm, and family, including the City of Cleveland Black History month "Building a Sense of Community" Hon- oring James, William, and Joyce Whitley, National magazine Black Enterprise Magazine and the National Progressive Architecture magazine for design and another feature story about the firm. Whitley was a board-certified regis- tered architect by NCARB and a mem- ber of (NOMA) He had memberships in numerous organizations. Whitley was a past member of the Cleveland (OH) Alumni Chapter. He was a longtime member of the Tau Boule Chapter of Sigma Pi Phi Frater- nity, Inc. and was the longtime Social Committee Chairman. Whitley provided support and coun- sel to numerous Cleveland and state of Ohio elected officials, including the late Cleveland Mayor Carl B. Stokes (Alpha Omega 1950), Councilman George L. Forbes Councilman, Judge Lloyd Brown, and Governor Richard Celeste. Whitley held three US Patents and one design patent. Brother James M. Whitley, Jr. was a great friend, listener, confident and quiet advisor to many throughout his life. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Joyce R. Whitley. He is survived by his wife of 59 years Stella; son Kent A. (Pearl) Whitley (Cleveland (OH) Alumni 1995); grand- children August James Whitley, twins Zoe C. Whitley and Amelia S. Whitley; sister Gloria Fleming; twin brother Wil- liam N. Whitley (Gamma Tau 1954); sister Janice Carlstedt; numerous nieces and nephews; close friends and relatives.
L ongtime Cleveland, OH ar- chitect and founder of one of the country's leading African- American architectural firms, James M. Whitley Jr. (Gamma Tau 1954), entered the Chapter Invisible on September 10, 2021. Whitley's firm, the award-winning Whitley/Whitley Architects and Planners Inc., worked on numerous Cleveland landmarks such as Tower City, Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center, and the Lee-Harvard Branch of Cleveland Public Library. Brother Whitley was born in Roches- ter, NY, on April 29, 1934. He was one of five children born to the late James Sr. and Beatrice (née Nivens) Whitley. He graduated from Cleveland's John Adams High School, where he and his twin brother William were standout ath- letes in football and track. Both Whitley brothers earned football scholarships to Kent State University (KSU). He played the 1954 Kent State football that went 9-1 and played in the "Refrigerator Bowl." He ran also track for the KSU Golden Flashes. Along with this brother and two others, Whitley was a charter initiate of the Kent State University Chapter, the Gamma Tau of Kappa Alpha Psi and served the Chapter as Polemarch. He was also a member of the KSU R.O.T.C. and graduated as a first lieutenant. He graduated from Kent State University in 1957 with a B.S. degree in architecture and a B.A. degree from Leicester Uni- versity in Leicester, England.
After graduation, Whitley joined Joseph Baker and Associates, where he
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