Welburn studied design, sculpture, and painting at Howard University’s School of Fine Arts in Washington, D.C. He communicated with General Motors during his years at Howard, which led to an internship at GM Design after his junior year in 1971. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Howard in 1972 and was invited to return to his alma mater on May 7, 2016 to give a commencement speech to graduates of the College of Fine Arts.

Welburn’s first peek behind the curtain of General Motors Design was during his college internship in 1971. One year later, he became the first African American hired to design GM vehicles. He spent his entire design career at GM, where he worked in a variety of studios on a diverse list of vehicles, and he became the highest-ranking African American in the automotive industry as the first-ever Vice President, GM Global Design.

In 2014, Welburn’s passion for fashion landed him on Hour Detroit’s annual Best Dressed list.

On April 7, 2016, he announced his retirement from General Motors after 44 years, effective July 1, 2016. He was succeeded by Michael Simcoe from GM Australia Design.

In 2016, General Motors dedicated its Center for African American Art at the Detroit Institute of Arts in Welburn’s honor. The Detroit Free Press also honored him with its first-ever Difference Makers Lifetime Achievement Award, and most recently his body of work was turned over to the Smithsonian Institution museum, making him the first automobile designer to earn that distinction.

In 2017, Welburn was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts by the College for Creative Studies, a leading design school, and he was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame, a recognition that he holds as his highest professional honor.

In 2018, he received the EyesOn Design Lifetime Design Achievement Award for his outstanding career in vehicle design.