In honor of Black History Month, we’re celebrating the work of Black designers, policymakers, architects, and real estate icons who have paved the way in New York City and beyond.

Here are six influential Black figures who have each had an indelible impact on real estate and greater society.

Philip A. Payton Jr.

Entrepreneur, known as the “Father of Harlem” due to his work renting properties in the neighborhood to Black Americans.

Roy Donahue “Don” Peebles

Founder of the Peebles Corporation—the largest, most successful black-owned real estate development and ownership company in the U.S.

Rodney Leon

Oversees NYC urban planning initiatives and designed the monument, “The Ark of the Return” as a tribute to enslaved Africans. Also designed the African Burial Ground National Monument in Manhattan.

Kesha Franklin

CEO and Lead Designer of Halden Interiors in NYC, an interior design firm specializing in residential and hospitality spaces.

Samantha Josaphat

Founder of Studio 397 Architecture, a name inspired by her becoming the 397th Black American female architect achieving licensure in the USA.

Ryan Williams

The co-founder of Cadre, a New York-based technology company, and an advocate for diversity and change in real estate and society at large.