Vertner Woodson Tandy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vertner Woodson Tandy
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Tandy circa 1920
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| Born | May 17, 1885 |
| Died | November 7, 1949 (aged 64) |
| Known for | First registered African-American architect in New York State; Co-founder of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity at Cornell University |
Vertner Woodson Tandy (born May 17, 1885 – died November 7, 1949) was a very important American architect. He made history as the first African American architect to be officially registered in New York State.
Tandy was also one of the seven young men who started the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity at Cornell University in 1906. These seven founders are often called "The Seven Jewels." He helped design the fraternity's special pin and was its first treasurer. He also helped the fraternity become an officially recognized organization.
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Early Life and Education
Vertner Woodson Tandy was born on May 17, 1885, in Lexington, Kentucky. His parents were Henry A. Tandy and Emma Brice Tandy. His father, Henry Tandy, was a very successful businessman and building contractor. Henry Tandy had been born into slavery, but he later started his own company called Tandy & Byrd in Lexington in 1893. His company worked on big projects like the Lexington Opera House.
In 1904, Vertner Tandy began studying architectural drawing at Tuskegee Institute. The next year, in 1905, he moved to Cornell University. He graduated from Cornell in 1907 with a degree in architecture. While at Cornell, he became one of the "Seven Jewels" who founded the Alpha Phi Alpha Society in 1906. This was the first fraternity for African American students.
Amazing Career Achievements
After finishing college, Tandy and another architect named George Washington Foster started their own company, Tandy & Foster. Their office was located on Broadway in New York City. Tandy became the very first registered Black architect in the State of New York.
Designing Famous Buildings
One of Tandy's most famous projects was Villa Lewaro. This was a huge mansion that cost $250,000 to build for the daughter of Madam C. J. Walker. Madam C. J. Walker was a very wealthy woman from Harlem. The mansion, built in the Italianate-style, was finished in 1918. It became an important place during the Harlem Renaissance, which was a time of great artistic and cultural growth for African Americans.
Tandy's other important buildings that still exist today include the Ivey Delph Apartments and St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Harlem. The Ivey Delph Apartments, which he designed in 1948, were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
Military Service
Vertner Tandy also achieved something special in the military. He was the first African American to pass the military exam to become an officer. He was made a First Lieutenant in the 15th Infantry of the New York State National Guard.
Later Life and Passing
Vertner W. Tandy passed away from pneumonia on November 7, 1949. He was 64 years old and died in Manhattan, New York City.
