Vertner Woodson Tandy

Vertner Woodson Tandy (May 17, 1885 – November 7, 1949) was an American architect. He was one of the seven founders (commonly referred to as "The Seven Jewels") of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity at Cornell University in 1906. He was the first African American registered architect in New York State. Tandy served as the first treasurer of the Alpha chapter and the designer of the fraternity pin. The fraternity became incorporated under his auspices. Early life and education He was born on May 17, 1885, in Lexington, Kentucky. His parents were Henry A. Tandy and Emma Brice Tandy. Henry Tandy was a successful entrepreneur and building contractor. Born enslaved, in 1893 he established the firm Tandy & Byrd in Lexington. Among prominent projects of the firm are the Lexington Opera House and the Fayette County Courthouse, now the site of the Lexington Visitor Center. In 1904, Tandy attended Tuskegee Institute studying architectural drawing. In 1905, he transferred to Cornell University, which he graduated from in 1907 with a degree in architecture. He was one of the founding members, who were collectively called the "Seven Jewels," of the Alpha Phi Alpha Society the first African-American fraternity in 1906. Career Ater graduation, Tandy and George Washington Foster started their own firm, Tandy & Foster, with offices on Broadway in New York City. Tandy became the State of New York’s first registered black architect.