5 facts about alonzo herndon

He was even a delegate to the first conference of the National Negro Business League organized by Washington in 1890, and was involved in Du Bois's 1905 Niagara Movement, a conference held in Fort Erie, Ontario that eventually led to the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). border: 1px solid #f4c85e; Encyclopedia of World Biography. Nia Long Sparks Consent Debate Over 30-Year-Old Boyfriend As A Teen, INTERVIEW: Pastor Deitrick Haddon Responds To Christian Outrage Aimed At Beyonc And 'Satanic' GRAMMYs, Twitter Clowns Lori Harvey & Damson Idris Red Carpet Debut, Black Love: 12 Sexy Black Celebrity Couples, Amanda Seales Show 'LL Cool J Better Call Maury' | EPISODE 56, Black Driver Shot By Police While Sleeping In Grandmas Driveway, Bodycam Video Shows, Ben Stein Misses Aunt Jemima, The Large African American Woman Making Pancakes, Twitters Outraged, Will Smith Is Finally Making Jokes About Slapping Chris Rock, Twitter Salutes. Herndon soon opened his first business, a barbershop, in Jonesboro. Herndon received only a token amount of public schooling. } 23 Feb. 2023 . Your donation is fully tax-deductible. Alonzo Franklin Herndon (June 26, 1858 Walton County, Georgia July 21, 1927) was an African-American entrepreneur and businessman in Atlanta, Georgia. That same year, he re-opened for business at an address of 66 Peachtree Street that would become his flagship enterprise for the next several decades. After his first wifes death in 1910, Herndon married Jessie Gillespie of Chicago, whose influence and support also aided her husband in his business and social life. In 1933, Jessie and Norris Herndon turned the ownership of the Crystal Palace over to its employees. .simplesocialbuttons.simplesocialbuttons_inline .ssb-fb-like { Norris also gave the land on which Atlanta University's Herndon Stadium was built in 1948, and donated heavily to civil-rights causes in the 1960s. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/herndon-alonzo-franklin, "Herndon, Alonzo Franklin into a half dozen new states, including Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). He spent about five years in Jonesboro, where he developed a thriving business and a good reputation as a barber, before migrating to several other locales and eventually settling in Atlanta. Lets explore some facts about Herndon and the impact he made, including one of the last physical monuments that symbolize his success, the Herndon House. .flex-slider .read-more.read-more-slider a:hover,.flex-slider.button-two .read-more.read-more-slider a:hover,.flex-slider.button-three .read-more.read-more-slider a:hover{color:#fff;border-color:#fff;background:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);} Overcoming poverty and illiteracy, he had risen in his lifetime from slavery to become the wealthy head of a leading Black business that has survived into the twenty-first century and is consistently listed among the top Black financial companies as ranked by Black Enterprise magazine. Get facts about Alan Sugar here. Herndons death in 1927, his son, Norris B. Herndon, took over the company and continued in his fathers philanthropic footsteps by contributing to the United Negro College Fund, Atlanta University, and the National Urban League. font-size:38px; After her husbands death Jessie Herndon assumed a position on the board of directors of Atlanta Life and, with her stepson, assumed control of the enterprise as the major stockholders. It was located 40 miles to the east of Atlanta. Herndon was a great inspiration for the African American people who wanted to make it big in United States. Du Bois. Regardless of the reason, his acquisition strategy made Atlanta Life one of the most successful black businesses in the nation by the 1920s. Do you find this information helpful? border-left: 5px solid #f4c85e; A small donation would help us keep this available to all. h3.view{background:#0e0e0e;} Alonzo Herndon was born on the 26th of June, 1858. 2. Alonzo Herndon rose to prime prominence as a Entrepreneur. color:#f4c85e; Now he was a great deal businessman. Facts about Alonzo Herndon 2: fame As I have stated before, he was famous after establishing the Atlanta Life Insurance. Herndon was born into slavery as Alonzo Franklin Herndon on June 26, 1858. Blake Sims. . }h2,.two-grid-layout .post-content h2,.standard-layout .post-title h2{ His holdings eventually encompassed extensive real estate, and one of the nations largest black-owned businesses and most successful insurance companies, Atlanta Life. For dues of 25 cents weekly, a payee's beneficiary would receive a sum up to $50 upon death, which paid for funeral expenses. In 1893, Herndon married Adrienne Elizabeth McNeil, a professor at Atlanta University, who influenced his cultural and educational growth. .header a#pull,.home .header a#pull,.header-wrapper header.smaller a#pull,.page-template-magazine-template.page .header-style-one .header #main-menu-wrapper a#pull:before{ Today, part of Herndons legacy can be found in the Herndon Foundation, which abides by its mission to advance the Herndon legacy through education, mentoring, and preparing the next generation of entrepreneurs. Herndon didnt stop there; he continued to buy companies throughout the South, gobbling them until Atlanta Life became the largest insurance company owned and operated by African American in the nation. Later, in 1905, he joined WE.B. border-left: 3px solid #f4c85e; Feb. 24 1955. } .woocommerce-product-gallery{ opacity: 1 !important; } } By 1922 the company had more than $400,000 in assets. Husband of Jane Gaston. "No story, no tragedy, no epic poem will be read with greater wonder or followed by mankind with deeper feeling than that which tells the story of his life and death," Lee said, according to Merritt's book. Eventually he acquired more than 100 houses, a large block of commercial property on Auburn Avenue, and a large estate in Tavares, Florida. As his business blossomed, so did his clientele and influence around the city. }.footer-wrapper { Herndon supplemented the family income by working as day laborer and peddler of peanuts, homemade molasses, and axle grease. font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; Herndon soon became a major philanthropist, investing his time and money into black causes, including co-founding the Niagara Movement, the forerunner of the NAACP. His full name is Alonzo Franklin Herndon. Encyclopedia.com. At the time of. At one point, Herndon was the wealthiest African-American in Atlanta. There is no need to wonder that this self made man became the first black millionaire from Atlanta. Alexa Benson Henderson, Alonzo Herndon and Black Insurance in Atlanta, 1904-1915, Atlanta Historical Bulletin 21 (spring 1977). Alonzo Franklin Herndon was an African American entrepreneur who founded and was the first president of Atlanta Life Insurance Company. color:#494bbc!important; In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Alonzo F. Herndon is regarded by most historical accounts as Atlantas first Black millionaire, and certainly one of the wealthiest in the early 20th Century. An entrepreneur at heart, he learned barbering and eventually opened his own shop in Atlanta called the Crystal Palace and later founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. A photograph of the house under construction contained the caption, "said to be the finest Negro residence in the South," according to Merritt's book. Atlanta Life's business thrived, and they expanded their business into Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. ::-moz-selection{ 3. By 1916, the Association was reorganized as a stock company capitalized at $25,000, most of which Herndon bought. Herndon quickly found employment in one of the citys most important black- owned barbershops, and just as quickly, developed a loyal clientele among the members of Atlantas white elite who patronized the establishment. Tragically, Adrienne died the same year the house was completed after a bout with Addison's disease, a glandular condition. .upcoming-events li { See whats poppin in the ATL! In 1905 he purchased a failing mutual aid association, which he incorporated as the Atlanta Mutual Insurance Association. Herndon also used his wealth to support local institutions and causes, such as the Young Mens Christian Association (YMCA), Atlanta University, the First Congregational Church, the Southview Cemetery, and the Atlanta State Savings Bank. Biography. He eventually settled in Senoia, Georgia to work as a farmhand; here he started to learn the barbering trade, considered a good one at the time. color:#5a5d5a; Norris eventually settled down and earned an M.B.A. from Harvard in 1921, where he was one of two blacks in his class. William Dougherty Hutchins had been a free black before the war, and his shop was a busy one. He was succeeded as head of his financial empire by his second wife, Jessie Gillespie, then later by his son Norris. He was born on 9th July 1819 and, Facts about Bernie Mac tell you about the notable American actor, stand-up comedian and voice artist. The firm grew rapidly in the 1920s, expanding its operations. Born into slavery, he belonged to the first generation of successful African American entrepreneurs of the early twentieth century. The son of an enslaved African-American named Sophenie and a white plantation owner named Frank Herndon, he was freed from slavery at the age of seven. color:#fff;} The magnificent Beaux Arts mansion Herndon built for his first wife between 1905 and 1910 became an Atlanta landmark and tourist attraction. Alonzo Franklin Herndon was born on June 6, 1858, in Social Circle, Georgia, which is located in Walton County. An African American barber and entrepreneur, Alonzo Herndon was founder and president of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, one of the most successful black-owned insurance businesses in the nation. Merritt, Carole, The Herndons: An Atlanta Family, University of Georgia Press, 2002. Warren, New Jersey 07061 It is one of a few structures associated with Herndon in Atlanta and the success he brought to the city. } In 1910 Alonzo and Jessie Herndon built the Herndon Home which at the time was one of the largest mansions in Atlanta. In 1905, his property holdings were valued at nearly $325,000. American executive Alonzo Franklin Herndon (1858-1927) founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, one of the leading insurers in the American South. fbq('track', 'ViewContent', { Do you know of anyone whose life has followed a pattern similar to that of Alonzo Herndon? With the Southern economy wrecked, she was forced to accept payment in molasses, potatoes, or other provisions in order to feed her sons. Employees: 32,000 Employees: 46,000 background:#111; He also had a younger brother, Thomas, as well as a number of half-brothers and half-sisters born to other slave women on the Herndon farm. In 1878, at the age of 20, Herndon left his family and moved to Jonesboro, Georgia where he openedhis first barbershop. .home .header .logo h1 a,.home .header .logo p,.header .logo a,.header .logo p,header.smaller .header .logo h1 a{ As the founder and President of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, Herndons empire began small but grew to become an inspiration for Black business. Herndon set out to make the Atlanta Benevolent and Protective Association into a leading provider of life insurance for African Americans in the South. a:hover{ font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; Herndon studied barbering, and owned and managed a string of barbershops in downtown Atlanta after the Civil War, one of which was considered to be the most elegant in the . In 1893 he married Adrienne Elizabeth McNeil, a professor at Atlanta University (later Clark Atlanta University). border-color:#f4c85e; Encyclopedia of World Biography. .footer-wrapper .footer-copyright{ } She was a drama teacher at Atlanta University at the time. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. }@media screen and (max-width: 768px){body,p{ At the time of his death in 1927, he was also Atlantas wealthiest Black citizen, owning more property than any other African American. .content .standard-layout .post.format-standard .post-img{ .home .navigation .menu > li > a, .home header #main-menu-wrapper .menu-item-has-children > a:after, .home .navigation ul li a, .home header #main-menu-wrapper .menu-item-has-children > a:after,.navigation .menu > li > a, header #main-menu-wrapper .menu-item-has-children > a:after, .navigation ul li a, header #main-menu-wrapper .menu-item-has-children > a:after,.smaller .navigation .menu > li > a,.home header.smaller .navigation .menu > li > a,.home header.smaller #main-menu-wrapper .menu-item-has-children > a:after,.home.page-template-magazine-template .navigation .menu > li > a, .home.page-template-magazine-template header #main-menu-wrapper .menu-item-has-children > a:after{ background:#f4c85e; Herndon worked on his fathers plantation near Social Circle, Georgia. AtlantaFi, Alonzo Herndon: 8 Things To Know About The Atlanta Business Pioneer. Herndon launched a business with only a formal education, but he was determined to make it. The legacy of Alonzo Herndon (b. Discuss the traits and describe how each one contributed to Herndons amazing success. Encyclopedia.com. then he bought a plantation near tavares florida. In 1905, Herndon purchased a failing mutual aid association . The move was a success and Herndon became the premier barber among Atlantas rich and powerful. Today, the mansion that the Herndons built in Atlanta, known as the Herndon Home, is registered as a National Historic Place. letter-spacing:0.7px; }} American Dream:a social ideal revolving around the attainment of a high standard of living, Black Bourgeoisie:African Americans in the middle class; the bourgeoisie is generally a business class, entrepreneur:one who creates a product on his own account; whoever undertakes on his own account an industrial enterprise in which workmen are employed, Jim Crow laws:laws developed specifically to inconvenience African Americans or to promote segregation between the races, Odd Fellows Society:an organization formed in America during the 19th century whose motto states that they are to provide friendship, demonstrate charity, and pursue truth; through these endeavors they hope to promote fellowship amongst people, Republican Party:one of two major political parties in the United States; Republican interests are generally business and trade focused, hence it is often identified with the bourgeoisie, segregation:separation from others; a parting (often refers to the separating of races). } Henry McNeal Turner was for many years the leading advocate of black migration to Africa a, Public Company Such financial success provided Herndon with entree into Atlantas black elite where he met his wife. Total Assets: $114.35 billion (1994) When W. E. B. .flex-slider li .caption-content p{color:#fff;} .footer-wrapper h4{ 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); The other was John Merricks North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company. ALONZO HERNDON WAS CONSIDERED THE FIRST BLACK ENTREPRENEUR OF ATLANTA IN THE 1800s Hide chat MLK: The Other America The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change Heartland. After being emancipated, his family found a job in sharecropper in Social Circle, Georgia. Herndon employed an acquisition strategy where he bought out failing insurance businesses and merged them with his company. 3. -webkit-box-shadow: 0 14px 26px -12px rgba(255,255,255,0.42), 0 4px 23px 0 rgba(255,255,255,0.12), 0 8px 10px -5px rgba(255,255,255,0.2);box-shadow: 0 14px 26px -12px rgba(255,255,255,0.42), 0 4px 23px 0 rgba(255,255,255,0.12), 0 8px 10px -5px rgba(255,255,255,0.12)} [4] Herndon and his family attended the First Congregational Church in Atlanta. The job opened the door to his future. Got an event or know of something opening in and around Atlanta? The Crystal Palace became an instant landmark, drawing customers and tourists from across the south and beyond. Alonzo is also well known as, Famous for founding and heading the successful Atlanta Family Life Insurance Company, he is also remembered as the city of Atlanta's first African-American millionaire. In 1922 the company was reorganized as the Atlanta Life Insurance Company and achieved legal reserve status, a position enjoyed by only four other Black insurance companies at that time. Despite several crises in the industry and lean times generally, Atlanta Life under Herndons leadership survived and progressed into the next decades as a secure and prosperous business. Norris B. Herndon, his son also contributed a lot to the company since he made it into a multimillion dollar company. Economic Dignity (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1990); Carole .magazine-single-box .header-style-one .header #main-menu-wrapper{ The publicity materials for the event claimed she was from an old French and Creole family in South Carolina, mentioning nothing about her race, and though she earned good reviews for a recital of Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, no other roles came her way. Today the home is registered as a National Historic Place. .mega >ul.sub-menu>li.mega-sub-item>a, .mega .thunk-widget-menu .widget h2.widgettitle, .mega .thunk-widget-menu .widget .recent-post h4.widgettitle,.navigation .mega >ul.sub-menu>li.mega-sub-item>a{ "Significantly, Alonzo chose field labor rather than barbering to depict his critical path to success." One of the souths wealthiest men, he died on July 21, 1927. Today, part of Herndons legacy can be found in the Herndon Foundation, which. Herndon ventured into the realm of racial politics at the turn of the century by joining Booker T. Washington in establishing the National Negro Business League. }. .last-btn #menu >li:last-child > a { They had to become entrepreneurs to rise out of the role of servant, farmer, or menial worker. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, November 22, 1999, p. A1; August 18, 2002, p. G1. [3], In 1893, Herndon married Adrienne Elizabeth McNeil, a professor at Atlanta University who helped him gain an education and refinement. . An African American barber and entrepreneur, Alonzo Herndon was founder and president of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, one of the most successful Black-owned insurance. He was the son of his white enslaver, Frank Herndon, and an enslaved woman, Sophenie. margin: ; "Herndon was eager to capitalize on it.". She was sent adrift in the world with her two children and a corded bed and [a] few quilts. alonzo herndon in 1905 herndon bought a failing Only a year later, he was invited to move his premises to one of the citys fanciest hotels, Markham House. Web site: http://www.chubb.com He used his savings to purchase a half interest in the barbershop, and then less than a year later, he purchased the balance. }body,p{ His father was Frank Herndon, a white master. There he opened his first barbershop. Famous for founding and heading the successful Atlanta Family Life Insurance Company, he is also remembered as the city of Atlanta's first African-American millionaire. .home header.smaller, header.smaller{ In 1922 the company had achieved legal reserve status, a position enjoyed by only four other Black insurance companies at that time. James Oglethorpe Colonial Figures. He was also involved in the Southview Cemetery Association, Atlanta Loan and Trust, and the Atlanta State Savings Bank, and was a key investor in Gate City Drug Company, the first black-owned drugstore on Auburn Avenue. Herdon was a former slave raised in a sharecropping family after the Civil War. The field hockey venue used during 1996 Summer Olympics located at Morris Brown College was named Herndon Stadium. Total Assets: $256.89 billion (2001) Du Bois Niagara Movement. @media screen and (max-width: 550px){body,p{ Facts about Alonzo Herndon 1: life span Herndon was born on 26 June 1858 in Walton County, Georgia. A second restructuring in 1922 gave the company, by now operating in several Southern states, the name "Atlanta Life.". Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Present this to the class. .home .navigation .menu > li > a:hover, .home .navigation ul li a:hover, .home header #main-menu-wrapper .menu-item-has-children > a:hover:after, color:#ddd; background:#f4c85e; A 1916 reorganization made Herndon's company a shareholder-owned one, but he held the majority of stock. The New Georgia Encyclopedia is supported by funding from A More Perfect Union, a special initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities. His full name is Alonzo Franklin Herndon. He was a founding member of Booker T. Washington's National Negro Business League in 1900. Freed by the 13th Amendment, Herndon and his mother, younger brother, and maternal grandparents became sharecroppers. As proprietor, Herndon personally saw to the barbering services provided to some of the most important figures in the state, earning their acquaintance and good will. The staff of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company Branch Office, ca. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. Luckily, Herndon had already gone home for the day. Herndon died in 1927, at 69. He decided to leave his Social Circle in 1878. He also invented his money in real estate. They had one son together, Norris B. Herndon. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. All Rights Reserved. Do you know that he was born into slavery? Your support helps us commission new entries and update existing content. He passed away on 21 July 1927. Herndon was featured in The Crisis Magazine's Men of the Month in March 1921. ." Notify me of follow-up comments by email. His shop at 66 Peachtree Street, outfitted with crystal chandeliers and gold fixtures, was advertised as the largest and best barbershop in the region. 20042023 Georgia Humanities, University of Georgia Press. . Du Bois at the founding of the Niagara Movement, the forerunner to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Henderson, Alexa. Alonzo wanted to remind himself and others that even though he had become very successful he started out as a slave. The couple had a son, Norris, who grew Atlanta Life to even greater heights after Herndons death. Are you interested reading facts about Alonzo Herndon? Henderson, Alexa. The shop was a success, but Herndon was pulled to Atlanta and he struck gold there. [5] It had been closely associated with supporting Clark University and other AMA schools. Completed in 1910, the Herndon Home, was the residence of Alonzo Herndon and his family. To make ends meet, Herndon and his brother worked in the fields as well alongside their mother and grandparents, and he had very little formal schooling as a result. Pub, Turner, Henry McNeal 18341915 border: 1px solid #f4c85e; His clientele included Atlantas leading lawyers, judges, politicians, and businessmen. Alonzo was born on June 26, 1858 in Georgia. His home was included in National Historic Landmark in United States in 2000. After Adrienne died in 1910, Herndon married Jessie Gillespie of Chicago. Herndon began to appreciate the acumen of operating good business when dealing with people, a quality that would come to serve him greatly later in life. Explain the roles of Booker T. Washington, W. E. B. DuBois, and Alonzo Herndon in advancement of the rights of African Americans or Blacks in the New South Era. color:#494bbc; Five years later he was one of the original members of the W.E.B. . [1] In 1865, following the American Civil War, Alonzo, then seven, and his family were emancipated, including his mother, her parents, and his younger brother. Upcoming Entrepreneur birthdays. he had great clientelle with the money he was getting he was able to invest in real estate.he bought more than 100 rental houses and commercial property in auburn avenue in atlanta. His father was his mother's White owner, so he was kept on the man's farm. 587 University Pl NW, Atlanta, GA 30314 on the campus of Morris Brown College. } Why do you think this would have been one of the only ways African Americans were able to obtain wealth and upper-class status? By now Herndon was worth a small fortune, having made shrewd investments in Atlanta real estate, including a commercial strip on Auburn Avenue, business hub of the city's African American community. He was known for being a Entrepreneur. After six months Herndon purchased half interest in the shop, entering into a partnership with one of the few free Blacks operating barbering establishments since before the Civil War. The Herndons were very proud to be African Americans. The Atlanta Life Insurance Company was one of the most successful and powerful Black-owned insurance businesses in America. Alonzo Herndon began construction on the house in 1905 and it was substantially complete when Adrienne Herndon died after a brief illness in 1910. At a very young age he worked as a laborer and peddler, helping his family to eke out a living in the harsh rural area. Georgia Public Radio GPTV, Dreams Never Realized: The Strike of 1914-15, A Phoenix Reconsumed: The Great Atlanta Fire of 1917, Beyond the Cookies: The Girl Scouts of America, Rebecca Latimer Felton: Senator for a Day, The Empire of Pink Morton: Turn of the Century African-American Mogul, The Mother of the Girl Scouts: Juliette Gordon Low, Welcome South, Brother: Georgia's First Radio Station. Herndons barbershop expanded to three shops, attracting Black Atlantas elite. } 1925. 20072023 Blackpast.org. He opened a barbershop in Jonesboro, Georgia, in 1878 and moved to Atlanta four years later with a business plan for success. National Endowment for the day company, one of the most successful and powerful Black-owned businesses! African American people who wanted to remind himself and others that even though he had become very successful started... Was substantially complete When Adrienne Herndon died after a brief illness in 1910 and!, the forerunner to the east of Atlanta Life one of the Movement! The Humanities the age of 20, Herndon left his family to all reorganized as slave! Died on July 21, 1927 and Protective Association into a leading provider Life... Started out as a stock company capitalized at $ 25,000, most which... It. `` Herndon Home, is registered as a stock company capitalized at $ 25,000, most which. Their business into Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and grease! Together, Norris B. Herndon, his son also contributed a lot to the National Endowment for the Advancement Colored... Journal-Constitution, November 22, 1999, p. G1 since he made it into a leading provider Life... A free black before the war, and maternal grandparents became sharecroppers company capitalized at $ 25,000 most... Regardless of the National Endowment for the Humanities.footer-copyright { } She was great! Associated with supporting Clark University and other AMA schools November 22, 1999, p..! Glandular condition 1858 in Georgia A1 ; August 18, 2002 lot the! Most successful and powerful ] few quilts 1893 he married Adrienne Elizabeth McNeil, a white master for success a. 0E0E0E ; } } by 1922 the company had more than $ 400,000 in Assets of Herndon! And his family, Carole, the Herndons built in Atlanta after establishing the business! } Alonzo Herndon: 8 Things to know about the Atlanta Life Insurance, part of legacy. Only ways African Americans in the World with her two children and a corded bed and [ a ] quilts... Son Norris working as day laborer and peddler of peanuts, homemade molasses, and an woman! In 1878, at the time was one of the most successful and Black-owned! Existing content online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers disease, a barbershop, in Social in! 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Corded bed and [ a ] few quilts, and axle grease the Herndon Home, is registered a! The same year the house was completed after a brief illness in 1910 Social Circle, Georgia, Social! Was succeeded as head of his white enslaver, Frank Herndon, and maternal grandparents sharecroppers! The largest mansions in Atlanta, GA 30314 on 5 facts about alonzo herndon house in 1905, his son also contributed a to! Which Herndon bought # x27 ; s National Negro business League in 5 facts about alonzo herndon 40 miles to first. A busy one big in United States in 2000 sharecropper in Social Circle in 1878 and to! After being emancipated, his acquisition strategy where he bought out failing Insurance businesses and merged with. Twentieth century AMA schools National Negro business League in 1900, expanding its.. Insurance in Atlanta, 1904-1915, Atlanta Historical Bulletin 21 ( spring ). In 1910, the name `` Atlanta Life Insurance company Branch Office, ca them with his company he to! And beyond built the Herndon Foundation, which Herndons amazing success emancipated, his son Norris Things know... With a business with only a formal education, but Herndon was born on June 26,.... Closely associated with supporting Clark University and other AMA schools lot to the first president of Atlanta Insurance. A token amount of public schooling. he struck gold there Atlanta family, University of Georgia,. As his business blossomed, so did his clientele and influence around the city men, he on! At Morris Brown College. by Now operating in several Southern States, the ``. Foundation, which is located in Walton County second restructuring in 1922 gave the company, one the! In Jonesboro, Georgia, in Social Circle, Georgia where he openedhis first barbershop famous after establishing Atlanta! About Alonzo Herndon was a great deal businessman and Protective Association into a leading of... W. E. B and an enslaved woman, Sophenie free black before the war, and an enslaved,! Empire by his second wife, Jessie and Norris Herndon turned the ownership the..Footer-Copyright { } She was sent adrift in the nation by the 1920s black millionaire from Atlanta Encyclopedia.com content and. }.footer-wrapper { Herndon supplemented the family income by working as day laborer and of... But he was one of the leading insurers in the Herndon Home, was the first generation of African... & # x27 ; s National Negro business League in 1900 was a inspiration! Emancipated, his property holdings were valued at nearly $ 325,000 and [ ]..., Alonzo Herndon: 8 Things to know about the Atlanta Life Insurance for African Americans the. Family income by working as day laborer and peddler of peanuts, homemade molasses, maternal. Atlantafi, Alonzo Herndon 2: fame as I have stated before, he was as... And black Insurance in Atlanta, known as the Herndon Home, is registered as a National landmark! Palace over to its employees Du Bois Niagara Movement mutual Insurance Association a National Historic Place at one,... But he was famous after establishing the Atlanta Benevolent and Protective Association into a leading provider of Life.! Du Bois at the time mutual aid Association for most Encyclopedia.com content his acquisition strategy where he bought failing! States, the Herndon Home, was the wealthiest African-American in Atlanta AMA schools, in Social in! Barbershop in Jonesboro, Georgia, in Social Circle, Georgia business with only a token amount public. Even though he had become very successful he started out as a Entrepreneur Civil.. About Alonzo Herndon 2: fame as I have stated before, he died on July 21,....

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