J. Max Bond, Jr.

J. Max Bond Jr. (1935 – February 18, 2009) was an American architect. He developed an interest in architecture based on experiences ranging from viewing a staircase at a dormitory at the Tuskegee Institute to views of North African construction styles on a visit to Tunisia. He became one of a small number of nationally prominent African-American architects. He married writer Jean Carey Bond in 1961 and they had two children.

Education Bond was born in Louisville, Kentucky, to black parents. In 1951, while still a 16-year-old, he began his education at Harvard University, where he was awarded a bachelor's degree in 1955 and earned a master's degree three years later. During his time at Harvard, he was one of a group of 11 black students targeted by a cross-burning incident in front of their dormitory, Stoughton Hall. He ignored advice from a Harvard faculty member to give up the professional pursuit of architecture due to his race, overcoming barriers in what was at the time a white profession. Bond was responsible for the museum component at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center site at the time of his death.

Bond served as chairman of the architecture division at the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture and Planning from 1980 to 1984. He was dean from 1985 to 1992 at the City College of New York School of Architecture and Environmental Studies. He served as a member of the New York City Planning Commission from 1980 to 1986.

Death and family A resident of New York's Manhattan, Bond died of cancer at the age of 73 on February 18, 2009. He was survived by his wife, writer Jean Carey Bond, two children, three grandchildren, a sister and a brother.

His father was J. Max Bond Sr., President of the University of Liberia. His mother was Ruth Clement Bond, his sister was the historian Jane Clement Bond and his brother was Prof. George C. Bond (Columbia University/Teachers College). His uncle was Horace Mann Bond, and his cousin was Julian Bond.