Jackson Free Press

The American Institute of Architects Mississippi and the Brick Industry Southeast Region will present awards to Tougaloo College for the design of the school's recently completed Bennie G. Thompson Academic and Civil Rights Research Center. The presentation is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27 in the building's lecture hall.

Jackson architectural firm Duvall Decker Architects designed the building, which was recently recognized with the AIA Mississippi Honor Award and the Brick Industry Southeast Region Design With Brick President's Award.

Representatives from the two professional organizations will present the awards to Tougaloo College.

The Brick Industry Southeast Region will also present a $2,000 check to Mississippi State University School of Architecture for the creation of the Duvall Decker Brick Industry Scholarship for minority student travel. The contribution is part of the Design With Brick President's Award, which recognizes excellence in architectural design with brick and is in conjunction with the AIA Mississippi Design Awards held in July of this year.

The presentation will include architect Roy Decker giving the lecture, "Progressive Vernacular: How history meets the future in the Bennie G. Thompson Academic and Civil Rights Research Center." This presentation will explore the history of the campus, its site and the building design.