The current church home of Mentrotone Baptist Church was designed by one of the top pioneering African American architects to work in the nation's capital.

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Romulus Cornelius Archer, Jr. has the historic distinction of being only the second African American architect to be licensed in the District of Columbia. He was a mentor to many inexperienced black architects and his office was known to be a training ground as he gave many of them their first jobs. He realized that they stood little chance of getting an opportunity to gain experience at the major firms under white management during those times. In 1964, the Young Mens Christian Association named him "Citizen of the Year" for apprenticing so many young architects.

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R.C. Archer, Jr. was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia. He graduated from the Norfolk Public School system and studied architecture through the International Correspondence School in Scanton, Pennsylvania and one year at Columbia University. After serving in the U.S. Army, he worked briefly has one of the few blacks architects at the U.S. Treasury Department. In 1921, Archer opened a solo practice that was very successful. 

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On January 15, 1926, the D.C. Board of Examiners and Registrars of Architects, issued Certificate No. 117, to Romulus Archer, Jr., making him the second Black architect to be licensed in the District of Columbia. Archer and the architects under his training have left a historic array of structures throughout Washington, DC and along the east coast. Athough he did not become wealthy in his profession, he did prove that a black architectural firm could compete with white firms.

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Archer designed many churches in Washington, DC, Lynchburg, VA and Danville, Va. Most of his designs included homes, apartment buildings and commercial buildings. The majority of his local work was in the Brookland neighborhood of DC, as well as Eastland Gardens and Mayfair Mansions in NE DC.

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Being one of the most prominent Black designers of churches during his time, Pastor Shelton Lee hired Archer to design the current home of Mentrotone Baptist Church. He also designed the original church for First Baptist Church of Marshall Heights, Capital View Baptist Church, Tabernacle Baptist Church, Southern Baptist Church and Macedonia Baptist Church on Stanton Road in SE DC. Some of these structures have been razed for new buildings, but most still stand today.

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Mentrotone Baptist Church was completed in 1957 and was a shining star in an area of DC that was considered a remote section of the city. The area had no paved streets, no running water and no indoor plumbing just a few years earlier. The first members of Mentrotone Baptist Church were pioneers in the development of this forgotten section of DC east of the Anacostia River. 

 

Romulus Archer, Jr. operated his architectural firm for 45 years. He was also a member of Florida Avenue Baptist Church for 47 years. He passed away on November 29, 1968 and was funeralized at Florida Avenue Baptist Church. Corporal Archer is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

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We pay homage to Romulus C. Archer, Jr. for his excellent work, his christian faith in serving his church for 47 years and his untiring efforts to assist and open the door for those young architects that were coming behind him.