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Contribution #340 of 365
Henry A. Tandy
Building Contractor and Decorative Masonry Entrepreneur
1867–1918
The contribution
How this work helped shape America
Born enslaved in Kentucky around 1853, Henry A. Tandy learned the building trades and became a prominent Lexington contractor after emancipation. Through Tandy & Byrd, he produced brickwork and decorative stonework for major buildings, including the Lexington Opera House and Fayette County Courthouse. His company converted skilled masonry into a substantial Black-owned construction enterprise.