Madam Walker Commissions Villa Lewaro from First Black NY Architect

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 aspiration, hosting major Black cultural and political figures.