Chappelle Administration Building, Allen University

John A. Lankford (1874-1946)

John A. Lankford was born on his parent's farm on December 4, 1874 in Potosi, Missouri. He attended public schools growing up and got a job working as an apprentice to a German mechanic while still going to school. As a young man, he enrolled in Lincoln University where he studied a variety of technical subjects including mechanical drawing, engineering, and Blacksmithing. He studied history, math, and English as well. He then opened a Blacksmith shop with a partner in St. Louis and earned a good reputation for his work, drawing the attention of Booker T. Washington, who suggested to Lankford that he enroll in the Tuskegee Institute, which Washington established in 1881. Lankford did extremely well at Tuskegee and graduated from three departments.

After teaching mechanical engineering at Tuskegee, Lankford worked briefly as a Blacksmith in Atlanta then got a job at the Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical College. He became the supervisor of the machine shop, saw mill, and laundry. He also designed and managed the construction of a school building, and even installed the school's industrial power plant. Three years later, Lankford became the head of the Industrial Department at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he reorganized the department and continued to earn a reputation as an excellent teacher and mechanic.

In 1902, he and his new wife, Charlotte, moved to Washington D.C. By then, Lankford had further established himself as an up and coming architect, having designed buildings in Missouri, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. In Washington D.C., he garnered national acclaim for designing a lodge for the United Order of True Reformers, which was a Black organization.

It was around this time that Lankford began designing churches for African American congregations. Charlotte's grandfather was Bishop Henry McNeal Turner, who was a bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Lankford suggested to Turner that he become the church's architect. Turner agreed and at a Church conference in 1908 Lankford was elected to this position. In this role, he designed A.M.E. churches around the country. He also designed white churches, including one in Potosi.

Lankford accepted a teaching position at Wilberforce University in Ohio in 1910 but continued to design buildings. He also joined several organizations and served as president of the National Technical Association between 1941 and 1942. He passed away on July 2, 1946 in Washington D.C.

Chapelle Administration Building

The A.M.E. Church founded Allen University in 1870 as Payne Institute and was located in Cokesbury, SC. It moved to Columbia in 1880 and renamed after the founder of the A.M.E. Church, Bishop Richard Allen. Construction of Chappelle Building began in 1922 and was completed three years later. It is considered one of Lankford's best works. The Harden Street facade features gabled dormers on the roof, windows on the first and second floor with keystones, and a three-arched portico. The roof features a cupola that replaced the original that was destroyed by lightning in 1974. Today, the building houses an art gallery in the original cafeteria and kitchen. The auditorium has been restored as well.

"Allen University." The Historical Marker Database. Accessed April 19, 2021. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=53954.

Click, Carolyn. "At Allen University, a historic stage is set to come to life again." The State. May 4, 2015. https://www.thestate.com/news/local/education/article20191749.html.

Graves, Lynn Gomez. "Chappelle Hall." National Park Service - National Historic Landmark Nomination Form. December 8, 1976. http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/richland/S10817740031/S10817740031.pdf.

"Our History." Allen University. Accessed April 19, 2021. https://allenuniversity.edu/our-history.