The Breakfast Club - IDKMYDE: Paul Revere Williams

Episode Date: February 15, 2025

On today’s episode of IDKMYDE we meet Paul Revere Williams. Paul Williams was out here designing Hollywood’s finest homes, flipping blueprints upside down, literally, just to stunt on racism. From the Beverly Hills Hotel to LAX, his legacy proves that even when they won’t give you a seat at the table, you can still build the whole damn house.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What would you do if mysterious drones appeared over your hometown? I started asking questions. What do you remember happening on that night of December 16th? It actually rotated around our house, looking as if it was peering in each window of our home. I'm Gabe Lenners from Imagine, I Heart Podcasts and Lenners Entertainment. Listen to Obscurum, Invasion of the Drones, wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

Why would you do that to me? Los Angeles, 2021. A friendly neighbor appears out of nowhere and promises to make all my dreams come true. Let's not forget that David Bloom was a professional con artist. So you didn't stand a chance. But my dreams soon turned into a nightmare. I'm Caroline DeMore. Listen as I take down my scammer on Once Upon a Con on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Y'all, what up? It's your girl Jess Hilarious, and I think it's time to acknowledge that I'm not just a comedian. It's time to add uncertified therapists to my credentials because each and every Wednesday I'm fixing your mess on carefully reckless on the black effect podcast network. Got problems in your relationship? Come to me your best friend acting shady. Come to me thought you was the father but you're not.

Come to me I can't promise I won't judge, but I can guarantee that I will help you. Listen to Carefully Reckless on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. The OGs of uncensored motherhood are back and batter than ever. I'm Erica.

And I'm Mila. And we're the hosts of the Good Moms Bad Choices Podcast, brought to you by the Black Effect Podcast Network every Wednesday. Yeah, we're moms. But not your mommy. Historically, men talk too much. on the Good Moms Bad Choices podcast, brought to you by the Black Effect Podcast Network every Wednesday. Yeah, we're moms, but not your mommy. Historically, men talk too much. And women have quietly listened.

And all that stops here. If you like witty women, then this is your tribe. Listen to the Good Moms Bad Choices podcast every Wednesday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you go to find your podcast. On today's episode of I Didn't Know, Maybe You Didn't Either, we're going to talk about Paul Revere Williams. No, not Paul Revere.

The British are coming. The British are coming. Not that guy. I'm talking about the black man who was out here designing buildings so dope that folks and in them today. Now picture this, it's the early 1900s and of course racism is off the charts like segregation is in full effect. Meanwhile Paul's out here like I'm gonna be an architect. People probably look at him like, bro, you sure? Black people can't even sit in half these buildings

and you wanna design them? And Paul was like, watch me. He was born in LA in 1894 and this man was out here grinding, y'all. He went to USC, got his architecture degree and became the first black architect certified west of the Mississippi. That was already boss,

but let me tell you something that even upped that. Paul figured out how to draw upside down. Why? Cause white people was too racist to sit next to him and look at the sketches like normal people do. So he flipped the script, literally. Bro, can you imagine how smooth you gotta be to not just design dope buildings,

but to do it upside down? And he wasn't designing regular stuff either. This dude had range. Mariah Carey in the 90s range. You know the Beverly Hills Hotel? That pink palace where rich folks and IGN influences take all them bougie pics? Paul revamped that joint. He gave it that drip. Then there's LAX.

You know that funky spaceship looking thing in the middle of the airport? Yeah, Paul did that drip. Then there's LAX. You know that funky spaceship looking thing in the middle of the airport? Yeah, Paul did that too. Who else could take a boring airport and make it look like the set of a sci-fi movie? And let's not forget the mansions. Paul was out here designing cribs for Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, a bunch of Hollywood big shots. But Paul didn't just design for the rich folks. He was about the people too. He built schools, churches, affordable housing. He made sure his work touched everybody. My man was like, I'm building legacies, not just luxury. Now let's talk about why he's important today. First of all, his buildings are still standing, still being used and still looking fresh.

But more than that, Paul Williams showed us what it means to hustle with style. He didn't just survive racism, he out designed it. They wouldn't let him sit at the table, so he flipped the table, drew from the other side of the table, and made that table his own. And here's the kicker. In 2017, years after he passed, Paul became the first black person to win the American Institute of Architects gold medal. That's like the Oscars of Architecture y'all. Imagine them handing you a trophy after you dead. Like, hey man, you was dope. I'm bad for not saying it a little sooner.

Paul Williams has proved that no matter what barriers they put in front of you, you can still break through. And look good doing it. So next time you drive by the Beverly Hills Hotel or you fly into LAX, remember, a black man did that. And he did it upside down just to stunt on him and I didn't know maybe you didn't either what would you do if mysterious drones appeared over your hometown I started

asking questions what do you remember happening on that night of December 16 actually rotated around our house looking as if it was peering in each window of our home. I'm Gabe Liners from Imagine, I Heart Podcasts and Liners Entertainment. Listen to Obscureum, Invasion of the Drones, wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Why would you do that to me? Los Angeles, 2021. A friendly neighbor appears out of nowhere and promises to make all my dreams come true.

Let's not forget that David Blum was a professional con artist, so you didn't stand a chance. But my dreams soon turned into a nightmare. I'm Caroline DeMore. Listen as I take down my scammer on Once Upon a Con on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Yo, what up? It's your girl Jess Hilarious, and I think it's time to acknowledge that I'm not just a comedian. It's time to add uncertified therapists to my credentials. Because each and every Wednesday, I'm fixing your mess on Carefully Reckless on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Got problems in your relationship?

Come to me. Your best friend acting shady? Come to me. Thought you was the father but you not? Come to me. I can't promise I won't judge you, but I can guarantee that I will help you. Listen to Carefully Reckless

on the Black Effect Podcast Network. iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The OGs of uncensored motherhood are back and badder than ever. I'm Erica. And I'm Mila. And we're the hosts of The Good Moms Bad Choices podcast,

brought to you by the Black Effect Podcast Network every Wednesday. Yeah, we're moms, but not your mommy. Historically, men talk too much. And women have quietly listened. And all that stops here. If you like witty women, then this is your tribe. Listen to the Good Moms Bad Choices podcast

every Wednesday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you go to find your podcast.