4206 Kennerly Avenue

A respected hard-working member of the St. Louis African American community, Charlton Tandy was a Civil War veteran, well known speaker and Republican who worked as a messenger in the St. Louis customs house, a job that testifies to his political connections in Kentucky.

He was born in 1836 to parents who were free because his grandparents had purchased the family's freedom 3 years before his birth. 75 years later, he still carried his yellowing freedom papers with him.

His family worked to free slaves through the Underground Railroad and as a young man Tandy led slaves on the route from Covington, Kentucky to freedom in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Tandy moved to St. Louis in 1857 to work on the Underground Railroad. When the Civil War began he became a post messenger at Jefferson Barracks which proved good for Tandy as he was chosen as Captain to lead his own guard of African American militiamen that he recruited. He carried the title of captain for the rest of his life. The militia was charged with helping defend St Louis in a confederate attack. This service earned him notice of several political leaders and after the war he even received recognition from Ulysses S Grant. Tandy once said: "But as for sitting at the table with white men, I've had the pleasure of being there with the best in the land. I once lunched with President Grant, and in 1870 dined with Governor Crittenden and Senator Cockrell in Warrensburg."

In 1867, Tandy fought against the segregation of streetcars in Wellston when African Americans were not allowed to sit or stand inside the cars, and were forced to stand outside on the platform or walk. Legislation changed due to the Republican needing the vote of the African American community and Tandy's efforts. Tandy would often grab hold of the reins of the streetcar horses and refuse to let them go until the conductors allowed African-Americans to ride inside the car. They would sometimes fight with him and he was arrested three times for these protests. However, his political affiliations paid off when prominent businessmen and politicians bailed him out of jail. Wellston, the entrepreneur who introduced the streetcar to St Louis and was serving as congressman from Missouri at the time was obliged to appear on Tandy's behalf when the two allies agreed to boycott all other streetcar lines and use Wells' exclusively. Wells argued in court that Tandy was in the right and that his streetcars would permit African Americans to sit anywhere they wanted.

30 years after the boycott, a streetcar conductor tripped Mrs. Annie Tandy as she was exiting exiting a streetcar. She broke two ribs, got various bruises and damaged her hearing. The Tandy's sued and won the case ($600).