In observance of Black History Month, we’re taking a look at the legacy of Sylvia Harris, who was born in Richmond, Virginia, and spent much of her life and career in DC. 

Harris approached everything she did through the lens of making things that were accessible and useful. She frequently tackled civic-minded projects and coined the terms “public information design” and “citizen design” to describe her philosophy of working alongside and in service of the people who would be engaging with her designs. Those who worked with her described her as being unpretentious, willing to roll up her sleeves and do the work, and eager to explore details and projects that others might avoid.  

She was a founder of Two Twelve Associates, a firm specializing in wayfinding, where she worked on ambitious projects like designing the user interface for Citibank’s first ATMs. When she founded her own practice, first called Sylvia Harris LLC and later Citizen Research & Design, she shifted naturally into the role of design strategist, tackling large-scale challenges and design systems for hospitals, universities, and government agencies. One of her best known projects was serving as the creative director for U.S. Census 2000, where she redesigned forms and materials with the goal of boosting participation among underrepresented groups. The response rate to the 2000 census was ultimately two percentage points higher than in 1990.  

In addition to being a collaborator who was adept at nurturing the careers of rising designers, she was also an educator, teaching at Yale University, the School of Visual Arts, Cooper Union, and Purchase College. In an essay in the book “The Black Experience in Design,” Harris wrote, “The relationship of ethnic minorities to the development of American graphic design is rarely discussed or documented by our profession because of the historic lack of racial diversity in the field. … Increasing numbers of African Americans entering the profession are calling for a fresh look at graphic design history in order to discover the aesthetic contributions of their people.” Harris’ work 

In 2014, three years after her death, she was honored with a posthumous AIGA medal. The same year, the Sylvia Harris Citizen Design Award was created to honor designers creating change in their communities, demonstrating her ongoing legacy and how she has cemented her place in the design cannon.