Misha Black

• Name — Misha Black • Birth Name — Moisey Tcherny • Born — 16 October 1910 • Birthplace — Baku, Russian Empire • Died — 11 October 1977 • Place of death — London, England • Occupation — Industrial designer, architect • Relatives — Max Black, Sam Black

Black was born Moisey Tcherny on October 16, 1910 in Baku, Russian Empire into a wealthy Jewish family. His family emigrated to United Kingdom in pursuit of religious freedoms and educational opportunities when he was 18 months old. His elder brother was the philosopher Max Black. He attended Dame Alice Owen's School in Islington and the Central School of Arts and Crafts. From 1959 to 1975 Black was a professor of industrial design at the Royal College of Art in London, England. During his tenure at the Royal College of Art, he became President of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) from 1959 to 1961. He was also a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Designers, and winner of the Minerva Medal, the Society's highest award. He was knighted in 1972. Between 1974 and 1976 Black was President of the Design and Industries Association.

Some examples of Black’s designs include the Westminster street name signs, the external styling of British Railways Southern Region British Rail Class 71 electric locomotives of 1958 and Western Region British Rail Class 52 diesel locomotives of 1961. He also designed the London Underground 1967 Stock that was used on the Victoria line between 1967 and 2011. On 27 July 2003 at Salisbury station, preserved Class 52 D1015 named Western Champion was unveiled carrying temporary Sir Misha Black nameplates. Black was the designer of "The Birth of an Egg Cup" display at the 1946 Britain Can Make It exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Black is often credited for designing the black/brown/orange/yellow moquette originally used by London Transport and also the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive in the late 1970s onwards; whilst he commissioned the fabric it was actually the work of the textile designer Jacqueline Groag.

His elder brother was the philosopher Max Black, and his younger brother was the public relations manager Sam Black.

Misha Black is recorded as having received Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Knight Bachelor and Royal Designer for Industry. Recorded at birth as Моисей Чёрный. Recognition and collections. Black received Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Knight Bachelor and Royal Designer for Industry.