Black was born in San Antonio, Texas, and earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree from The University of Texas at Austin in 1962. He went on to receive a Master of Architecture degree from The University of California, Berkeley, in 1970.[4][5]
Black founded the architectural firm Black + Vernooy (now Black + Motal) in Austin, where he became involved in the design and planning of numerous projects in Austin, Texas.[6]
His projects include the 2nd Street District, Cedar Street Courtyard, and the Great Streets Master Plan for downtown Austin.[7] He also worked on Reconnect Austin, a grassroots campaign advocating for the burial of Interstate 35 through downtown Austin to transform the area into a walkable, mixed-use space.[8]
Black joined the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture in 1967.[9] He served as acting dean from 1972 to 1973 and was a professor at the school for more than 50 years.[10]
