During her career, Furman designed almost 200 structures, residences, and churches. Although many of her earliest buildings have been demolished, extant structures include the Fair Oak Baptist Church (Richmond), Saint James Baptist Church (Goochland County), Mount Nebo Baptist Church (New Kent County), and two churches in Liberia. Her design of the education wing of Richmond’s Fourth Baptist Church was recognized by the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Church Hill North Historic District’s boundary expansion in 2000. She also designed the birthplace and childhood home of future Virginia governor L. Douglas Wilder. Furman’s residences were deliberately designed as functional. Intended for her middle class clients’ needs, she used high quality materials and structural details. Furman also included detailed engineering drawings, evidence of her mastery of building technology.
Being a woman—and a woman of color—Furman faced serious difficulties and barriers. Despite her education and experience, building inspectors often challenged her architectural plans, looking for any reason to deny a building permit. While she sometimes submitted her plans under the name of male contractors, she generally insisted on presenting designs under her own name. Despite her early professional assurance, it was not until 1958 that Furman actually listed herself in the Richmond City directory as a draftsman and not until 1968 that she listed herself as an architect. When Furman’s architectural work provided insufficient income, she took additional low-paying jobs that women traditionally held, such as waitress, cook, maid, seamstress, and hat trimmer. She was also a notary public. Furman continued to design churches and residences until her death in 1976.
https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/dvb/bio.asp?b=Furman_Ethel_Bailey