When you look over the skyline of Atlanta, Georgia...you see Oscar. When you walk through Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport...you see Oscar. When you travel through Metropolitan Atlanta’s Rapid Transit Authority stations, including the world’s tallest escalator...you see Oscar. When you see the memorable rings of water and sparkles of light from Centennial Olympic Park...you see Oscar. All of this and much more represent the vision, dream, and accomplishments of Oscar L. Harris Jr., one of the first and most renowned African American architects to break into the industry. The revealing book, Oscar: The Memoir of a Master Architect, follows the remarkable life of Oscar Harris from childhood to becoming one of the most influential minority architects of his time.

Oscar Harris was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he later attended college at Lincoln University. After graduating from Lincoln University, Harris continued his education at Howard University School of Architecture. He later received his Master’s in Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University where he presently serves as a member on the Board of Trustees.

As part of his legacy, Mr. Harris founded Turner Associates Architects and Planners Incorporated in 1977. Turner Associates has since become one of Atlanta’s leading architectural and planning firms with over three billion dollars in completed design/construction work and five million dollars in completed planning and management projects. His innovative work includes Concourse E and Atrium at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, MLK Jr. Visitors Center, Atlanta-Fulton County Courthouse, the legendary Centennial Olympic Park, and hundreds of more iconic structures.

In his gripping memoir, Mr. Harris takes you behind the scenes of crucial negotiations that opened the door for many minority architects and firms. Laying it all on the table, he shares what it took to break into one of the most exclusive professional circles: architecture. In photos and sketches never previously seen by the public, Mr. Harris reveals the process of transforming major projects from concept to reality. Many of the stories are raw and reveal difficult times, but also reflect the passion, aspirations, and determination of a true artist who turned his creative energies into tangible works of beauty and substance.