Nicknamed the Griot, renowned artist and activist, John Outterbridge told powerful stories through art. Karen Hudson, Williams' granddaughter and the family historian, had removed many of the documents to work on a book about her grandfather's legacy, "Paul R. Williams, Architect." "He was a gentle man with a dream who believed that if he could please his clients, that was his value as an architect," she said. He was the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects and the first to receive its highest honor Gold Medal, posthumously in 2017. That is when his granddaughter issued a challenge upon accepting it on his behalf: to accept more Black architects.