McKissack & McKissack celebrates 35 years of shaping communities and improving lives through purpose-driven projects, trusted client partnerships, and the dedication of a team defined by integrity, determination, and a resilient spirit. This milestone honors our legacy of impact - and looks ahead to an even greater future, together.

Impact. It’s the thread that runs through McKissack & McKissack’s 35-year journey—a commitment to elevating communities through every project we touch. From the very beginning, our mission has been clear: to create environments that enrich people’s lives, and that purpose has guided us for more than three decades. We’ve had the privilege of stewarding some of the nation’s most treasured landmarks—places that tell our history, strengthen our cities, and reflect the communities we serve. From modern airports that drive economic vitality, to cultural institutions that preserve heritage, to schools and universities where opportunities grows, to the infrastructure that keeps families safe and communities connected – our work serves as the framework of thriving, equitable cities. These aren’t just projects—they are long-term investments in dignity, mobility and community vitality. But the spirit of McKissack isn’t found in structures alone. It lives in the people who make them possible. Our talented team—past and present—brings determination, integrity, and a steadfast, solutions-oriented mindset to every challenge. They anticipate issues before they arise, advocate for our clients when it matters most, and ensure that what we deliver isn’t just completed—it’s completed with excellence. That is the essence of McKissack: perseverance, hard work, and an unwavering commitment to those we serve. It’s why clients trust us. It’s why we’ve been chosen to lead some of the most complex, high-profile projects in the country. And it’s why, after 35years, we remain focused on the future—on expanding our impact even further. Today, we celebrate more thana milestone. We celebrate the partnerships that made it possible, and the people who live our mission every day. Join us as we mark this moment with our refreshed website, our anniversary logo, and a special commemorative video. Here’s to what we’ve built—and to everything still ahead.

OUR HISTORY

McKissack & McKissack is an outgrowth of the oldest minority-owned architecture / engineering firm in the United States.

Its roots go back to before the Civil War, when a slave named Moses McKissack learned the building trade from his overseer. It was his grandson, Moses III, who launched the first McKissack & McKissack in Nashville, Tennessee. The year was 1905.
McKissack & McKissack was founded by Deryl McKissack in 1990. When Ms. McKissack established her company, she was the fifth generation of her family to carry on the building tradition.

Company Timeline

1700

The McKissack family traces their ancestry back five generations to the Ashanti Tribe of Ghana, from where a young man was taken. He survived the horrors of the middle passage and was sold into bondage to William McKissack of North Carolina. This young African was given the name Moses McKissack.

1790

Moses McKissack comes to this country as a slave, owned by a prominent contractor who used his skills as a master carpenter. He passed the trade down through the generations, with his grandsons becoming the first licensed black architects in the Southeastern United States.

1840

Gabriel Moses McKissack (1840-1923) laid the foundation in Giles County for a family building tradition. A carpenter and a son of a master craftsman and freedman Moses I. Gabriel fathered six sons with whom many Giles County buildings are associated.

1905

Moses III, along with his brother Calvin, launches the first McKissack architecture and engineering firm in Nashville, TN. He was the grandson of Moses McKissack, a slave who learned the trade of building from his owner and began a family legacy in the industry.

1912

Calvin McKissack starts his independent practice in Dallas, TX, specializing in the design and construction of dormitories and churches.

1922

Calvin rejoins Moses II and the two become among the first registered architects in the state of Tennessee and the first licensed black architects throughout the southeast.

1941

The firm expands outside Tennessee. The firm received licenses from Alabama in 1941 and from Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, and Mississippi in 1943. Tennessee authorities called McKissack and McKissack "...somewhat unique in the fact that it is one of the few Negro architectural firms in the country" and had "done some creditable work in Nashville."

1942

The McKissack firm is awarded a $5.7 million contract to design and build the 99th Pursuit Squadron Airbase in Tuskegee, AL, the largest federal contract at that time ever given to an African-American firm.

1968

William DeBerry, the youngest son of Moses III, takes the helm as President of the firm. He nurtured the talents of his daughters—Andrea, Cheryl and Deryl—who all excelled in the fields of architecture and engineering.

1975

Upon retirement, William DeBerry’s wife, Leatrice, assumes the position of Chief Executive Officer of the McKissack firm.

1990

As an outgrowth of the McKissack firm founded in Nashville, TN, Deryl McKissack starts her own company—McKissack & McKissack—in Washington, DC as a sole entrepreneur working with very limited financial resources.

2002

Deryl McKissack expands the organization into the Chicago region, to begin working on large programs for Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Housing Authority and the City of Chicago (O'Hare International Airport).

2002

McKissack & McKissack makes its debut in Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 100 “Construction Management-For-Fee Firms” at #91.

2005

McKissack completes its first international project, a conceptual masterplan and design for a new American University campus in Yola, Nigeria. The firm designed the first six buildings for 1,400 students.

2008

McKissack expands into the west coast with its new office in the Los Angeles marketplace, with clients such as the LA Metropolitan Transportation Authority, LA World Airports and LA Unified School District.

2009

For the first time, McKissack ranks among ENR’s Top 50 Program Management Firms at #49 and is also listed in the Top 100 Construction Management-for-Fee Firms.

2013

McKissack opened its Baltimore office to strengthen its presence in the Mid-Atlantic region and better serve clients with local expertise.

2015

McKissack moves down south into the Dallas region providing program management and commissioning services to clients such as Texas Women's University, Texas A&M University, the Texas Facilities Commission, and Michaels Stores.

2020

McKissack becomes the first African American firm to win a major contract for the City of Fort Worth, TX. For the first time in history, Fort Worth has selected an African-American, woman-owned firm as the prime contractor for two categories.

2023

In 2023, McKissack secured the Virgin Islands Department of Education (VIDE) New Schools and Modernization contract— a comprehensive, multi‑year program to rebuild and modernize 23 schools across St. Croix and St. Thomas/St. John. This multi-billion-dollar program represents the largest program management engagement in our 35‑year history.

2025

McKissack earned recognition in ENR’s Top 100 Professional Services Firms for Construction Management/PM-for-Fee and celebrated major project milestones with clients including Chicago Public Schools, University of Illinois, Maryland Stadium Authority, United Airlines, PGCPS, DDOT, ComEd, and Arlington County.

2025

Our 35th anniversary marks a proud milestone that reflects decades of growth, resilience, and impact. Guided by our humble, hungry, and smart mindset, we’ve expanded our reach, strengthened our expertise, and delivered work that elevates communities. Through it all, our core values—collaboration, integrity, innovation, excellence, and empathy—have remained the foundation of who we are.

OUR HISTORY

Company Timeline

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