Madam C.J. Walker Commissions Villa Lewaro Estate on Hudson River

Madam C.J. Walker commissioned architect Vertner Woodson Tandy, the first licensed Black architect in New York State, to design Villa Lewaro, a grand Italianate estate in Irvington-on-Hudson, New York, completed in 1918. The estate became a symbol of Black wealth and aspirations, hosting major Black cultural and political figures. Tandy's commission was itself a milestone in Black architectural practice.