HERNDON HOME. A 1916 reorganization made Herndon's company a shareholder-owned one, but he held the majority of stock. Alonzo Herndon, a former slave born in 1858 in Social Circle, sought to better himself and ultimately became Atlanta's first African-American millionaire. Do you know that he was born into slavery? display: block; Du Bois's ideas of pushing racial equality were more productive than the ideas of Booker T. Washington. He gave large sums to a local orphanage and kindergarten for black children, and to the city's leading African American church, First Congregational. In 1905, Herndon bought the business, then named the Atlanta Benevolent and Protective Association, and renamed it the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. 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. She was the decorator. He was succeeded as head of his financial empire by his second wife, Jessie Gillespie, then later by his son Norris. Alonzo was born on June 26, 1858 in Georgia. line-height:48px; Living in a small shack with his mother, younger brother, maternal grandparents, and members of several other families caught in the same dilemma, Herndon helped out by selling peanuts, molasses, and axle grease. Alexa Benson Henderson, Atlanta Life Insurance Company: Guardian of Black Economic Dignity (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1990). }} The Company rapidly expanded, establishing branches in Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. Are you interested reading facts about Alonzo Herndon? Herndon launched a business with only a formal education, but he was determined to make it. Encyclopedia.com. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. His son Norris attended Atlanta University and Harvard Business School before entering his father's company full time. Many white men used African-American barbers in these years. never acknowledged paternity. Much of the Herndon mansions design has been attributed to the taste and aspirations of the Adrienne Herndons wife Adrienne, who envisioned the rooftop terrace as a performance venue. Husband of Jane Gaston. color:#f4c85e; Born into slavery in Walton County on June 26, 1858, Alonzo Franklin Herndon grew up on a farm in Social Circle, forty miles east of Atlanta. He passed away on 21 July 1927. 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 . }h2,.two-grid-layout .post-content h2,.standard-layout .post-title h2{ In his leisure time, he relaxed at an orange-grove estate he had acquired in Lake County, Florida, which he improved and sold some years later at an impressive profit. "Herndon, Alonzo Franklin his personal fortune grew, Herndon entered the field of insurance. . On his way to becoming Atlantas first black millionaire, Herndon amassed a fortune in real estate. Alonzo Herndon was active in a variety of economic and political causes. Alonzo Franklin Herndon was born on June 6, 1858, in Social Circle, Georgia, which is located in Walton County. ." 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. In 1905, Herndon purchased a failing insurance company, which he incorporated as Atlanta Mutual Insurance Association. Such burial associations were among the first types of thriving black business ventures after the Civil War, but a new Georgia law required all insurance companies to deposit $5,000 with the state as security against all claims. All Stadiums England Premier League Championship League 1 League 2 National League National League North National League South All stadiums in England Premiership League 1 League 2 All grounds in Scotland Wales . Norris B. Herndon, his son also contributed a lot to the company since he made it into a multimillion dollar company. Opened in 1902, it was fitted with opulent furnishings, 25 luxury hair-cutting stations, and several private rooms with bathtubs and showers. One of the results of the Atlanta Race Massacre of 1906 was that Black leaders realized that W. E. B. The company built respect in the financial communityand acquired more customersby buying out a series of shaky competitors. Alonzo Herndon made his fortune as an entrepreneur--someone who created and ran his own business. By the time of his death in 1927, Herndon was Atlanta, Georgias wealthiest African American and one of the first black millionaires in the United States. At one point, Herndon was the wealthiest African-American in Atlanta. Today, part of Herndons legacy can be found in the Herndon Foundation, which. 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. In 1893, Herndon married Adrienne Elizabeth McNeil, a professor at Atlanta University, who influenced his cultural and educational growth. 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. 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. } Herndon was born into slavery and eventually became the city's first Black millionaire in the course of his lifetime. When he turned 20, Herndon left the farm with just $11 dollars and a year of schooling. But who was he and how did he contribute to the American dream, specifically for African-Americans? Spaulding, Charles Clinton 18741952 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. Death: Immediate Family: Son of Stephen C Herndon and Lucinda Philpot McGowan. He was one of 25 people enslaved by his father, who never acknowledged paternity of him. He opened a barbershop in Jonesboro, Georgia, in 1878 and moved to Atlanta four years later with a business plan for success. background:#f4c85e; Born into slavery in 1858, in Walton County, Georgia; Alonzo was the son of Sophenie, an enslaved woman, and a white father, likely her enslaver, Frank Herndon, who was from a wealthy slaveholding family. ." /*margin-digbar*/ A second restructuring in 1922 gave the company, by now operating in several Southern states, the name "Atlanta Life.". }. One of the souths wealthiest men, he died on July 21, 1927. The couple had a son, Norris, who grew Atlanta Life to even greater heights after Herndons death. line-height:48px; By 1922 the company had more than $400,000 in assets. His father was Frank Herndon, the white farmer to whose Social Circle, Georgia land Sophenie was restricted. } 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); .archive-title, .page-title, li.sl-related-thumbnail h3, .multipage-links span{ font-size:38px; [1] One of his large, refined, barbershops serving white customers was damaged by white rioters during the 1906 Atlanta race riot. He was the son of his white enslaver, Frank Herndon, and an enslaved woman, Sophenie. Fax: (215) 761-5515 Like so many newly emancipated African Americans, the Herndons engaged in sharecroppinga system that kept them only a short step from slavery for many more years. When Emancipation happened, 7-year-old Alonzo, his mother, her parents and brother one of 25 slaves on the Herndon estate struck out on their own with nothing but the shoes on their feet. 1. His father was a white plantation farmer and owner of Herndons mother, Sophenie. } s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script', document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 15 Rare Black History Facts Youve Never Heard. Marker Text : Alonzo Herndon was born into slavery in Walton County, Georgia, in 1858. Looking to make his fortune in a place that offered better opportunities for blacks, Herndon relocated to Rome, Georgia, and then Chattanooga, Tennessee, but at one point was so discouraged by his business setbacks that he thought about quitting altogether and taking in a job a plow factory. } border-color:#f4c85e; } Herndon set out to make the Atlanta Benevolent and Protective Association into a leading provider of life insurance for African Americans in the South. Sign up to receive GPB Event announcements via Email. .footer-wrapper .footer-copyright{ The staff of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company Branch Office, ca. 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. Du Bois. header,.page header{ Eventually he established Atlanta Life, an insurance company. #menu .has-mega-sub-blog-menu .mega-sub-menu ul li a:hover{ Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. Alonzo wanted to remind himself and others that even though he had become very successful he started out as a slave. He also became the president of this company. Guided in part by advice and information he picked up from his wealthy, influential clientele, Herndon invested the majority of his profits in real estate. They were homeless and living in poverty. With the Southern economy wrecked, she was forced to accept payment in molasses, potatoes, or other provisions in order to feed her sons. He was born on June 26, 1858 and his birthplace is Georgia. into a half dozen new states, including Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Atlanta has a lot of inspirational people and AtlantaFi.com is going to introduce you to many of them as well as cool places to go, great restaurants and other ATL happenings. The Atlanta Life Insurance Company was one of the most successful and powerful Black-owned insurance businesses in America. By 1916, the Association was reorganized as a stock company capitalized at $25,000, most of which Herndon bought. Like BlackAmericaWeb.com onFacebook. Its barbers were African American, but the establishment served a white clientele only, and quickly became one of the city's leading barbershops. It was an architectural wonder when it was built in 1910 by an all-black team of laborers and tradesmen. font-size:38px; Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. .navigation ul .current-menu-item > a, .navigation ul li a:hover{ 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. Herndon died in Atlanta on July 21, 1927 at the age of 69. .slider-wrapper .flex-slider .fs-caption-overlay{ Herndon employed an acquisition strategy where he bought out failing insurance businesses and merged them with his company. Herndon eventually bought into a partnership, but it was later dissolvedperhaps due to Hutchins's financial setbacks, which taught Herndon to always be cautious about business expansion. His insurance business reported more than $400,000 in assets in 1922. Alonzo Franklin Herndon was an African American entrepreneur who founded and was the first president of Atlanta Life Insurance Company. Within six months, Herndon became a sought-after talent in his new trade. 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. [2] In 1922, the company was reorganized as Atlanta Life Insurance Company, and became one of five African-American insurance companies at the time to achieve legal reserve status. .magazine-box header.header-style-one #main-menu-wrapper, Alonzo Herndon moved to Atlanta in 1883, bought a stake in a barbershop on Marietta Street, and by 1904 he owned three shops in Atlanta. In 1905, he purchased a small mutual aid association that eventually became the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. Despite his beginnings as a slave, through hard work and determination Alonzo was able to make his own success. The family entered freedom in destitution. Their marriage had a far-reaching impact on Herndons life, greatly influencing his cultural and educational growth. His funeral was an extraordinary event in the city, and Atlanta Life's Memphis chief, George W. Lee, was one of a lengthy list of eulogists who paid tribute to the company founder. } 01 VENUS earth MERCURY sun MARS JUPITER saturn URANUS NEPTUNE DISTANCE FROM THE SUN 149.6 million km 1227.9 million km 57.91 million km 108.2 In 1905, his property holdings were valued at nearly $325,000. He also invented his money in real estate. Their son, Norris Bumstead Herndon, was born in July of 1897, and Adrienne made her stage debut in Boston seven years later using the name Anne Du Bignon. . Father of Larry Herndon; Roy V Herndon and Ora Herndon. Age AintWhat?! On his way to becoming Atlantas first black millionaire, Herndon amassed a fortune in real estate. Now he was a great deal businessman. border-color:#f4c85e; border: 1px solid #f4c85e; Biography. Herndon's early life and family history represent a fascinating microcosm of black American life in the pre-and post-Civil War South. Telephone: (215) 761-1000 color:#f4c85e; His child Norris B. Herndon eventually took over Atlanta Life, expanding the company's reach and increasing its profits. } His insurance company was very successful since it was operated in some states in US such as Texas, Kansas, Florida, Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky. However, the date of retrieval is often important. 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. Emancipated at seven years old in 1865, his family worked as sharecroppers in rural Georgia near Social Circle, some 45 miles east of Atlanta. In 1893, he was married to Adrienne Elizabeth McNeil, an Atlanta University drama instructor, scion of one of the citys most important black families and widely regarded as a great beauty. An extended European honeymoon was partly spent gathering furnishings to refit his Crystal Palace. Georgias rise from the ashes of civil war sparked a debate about development and the future of the state. His father was Frank Herndon, a white master. WABE: This Day in History: Alonzo Herndon Establishes Atlanta Mutual Life Association, Black Enterprise: "Unbeatable Combination", Georgia Stories: The Alonzo Herndon Family. At the time of his death in 1927, he was also Atlanta 's wealthiest Black citizen, owning more property than any other African American. 20072023 Blackpast.org. Tragically, Adrienne died the same year the house was completed after a bout with Addison's disease, a glandular condition. }h2,.two-grid-layout .post-content h2,.standard-layout .post-title h2{ The Herndon Home is a historic house museum and National Historic Landmark at 587 University Place NW, in Atlanta, Georgia.An elegant Classical Revival mansion with Beaux Arts influences, it was the home of Alonzo Franklin Herndon (1858-1927), a rags-to-riches success story who was born into slavery, but went on to become Atlanta's first black millionaire as founder and head of the Atlanta . .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{ .magazine-single-box .header-style-one .header #main-menu-wrapper{ Herndon soon opened his first business, a barbershop, in Jonesboro. Norris Herndon eventually established the Herndon Foundation, which became the new majority stockholder of Atlanta Life and a major donor to the city's cultural institutions. Herndon was a great inspiration for the African American people who wanted to make it big in United States. letter-spacing:0.7px; 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. .upcoming-events li span { Tweet. Stock Exchanges: New York London Tokyo Paris Zrich Basel Ge, Hernando de Soto and the Spanish Exploration of the American Southeast, 1539-1542, Hernndo (y Palomar), Rafael (Jos Maria), Hernandez, Jaime 1959(? Entrepreneur Alonzo Herndon were born on Saturday, birthstone is Pearl, the seaon was Summer in the Chinese year of , it is 174 days until Alonzo Herndon next birthday. From a very young age, Herndon worked as a laborer, and a peddler, to help support his family, as only his mother could work in the early years. Alonzo Herndon rose to prime prominence as a Entrepreneur. Whenever possible, he reinsured the policyholders and merged the faltering business into Atlanta Life in an effort to conserve confidence in Black businesses and save jobs for Black men and women. At the time of his death in 1927, he was also Atlantas wealthiest Black citizen, owning more property than any other African American. } For dues of 25 cents weekly, a payee's beneficiary would receive a sum up to $50 upon death, which paid for funeral expenses. All Rights Reserved. Herndon worked on his fathers plantation near Social Circle, Georgia. line-height:22px; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; alonzo herndon in 1905 herndon bought a failing He took over a company which had $5,000 in assets in 1905. #move-to-top, .th_more_posts a#more_posts:hover, .widget .search-submit:hover, .search .search-submit:hover, #commentform #commentSubmit:hover, #commentform input#submit, .tagcloud a, .mc4wp-form input[type=submit], ul.paging li a:hover, ul.paging li a.current, input[type=submit]:hover{ U.S.A. DuBois-led Niagara Movement. Alonzo Herndon. Herndon also sought to save other failing Black enterprises. Arriving in early 1883, he secured employment as a barber in a shop on Marietta Street owned by William Dougherty Hutchins, an African American. Learn more about the foundation. His full name is Alonzo Franklin Herndon. . After moving to segregated Atlanta, Herndon opened several barbershops including the upscale Crystal Palace in 1902. Herndon was four years old when President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863, freed the slaves in the Southern states that had seceded from the Union to join the Confederacy, but was seven when Frank Herndon released them when the war ended. 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. Alonzo Herndon. .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);} color:#f4c85e; The Herndon House is located at 587 University Pl NW, Atlanta, GA 30314 on the campus of Morris Brown College. Henderson, Alexa. Alonzo Herndon. Merritt, The Herndons: An Atlanta Family (Athens: University of Georgia Called "The Crystal Palace," it was a lavishly appointed barbershop, with chandeliers and marble floors, and served Atlanta's judges, politicians, and business elite. font-size:14px; It was located 40 miles to the east of Atlanta. Merrick, a contemporary of Herndons, also had begun his career as a barber. } Insurance executive letter-spacing:0.7px; li.mega-sub-item> ul.sub-menu >li >a:hover, li.mega-sub-item> ul.sub-menu >li >a:focus, .footer-wrapper li, B. Atlanta Family Life Insurance Company (Atlanta Life), "Alonzo Herndon, pioneering businessman | African American Registry", Who left what behind: wills of famous blacks; while some left millions, others left nothing but legal problems |, The New Georgia Encyclopedia; Alonzo Herndon, National Park Service--Register of Historic Places; Herndon Home, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alonzo_Herndon&oldid=1114544299, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 7 October 2022, at 01:36. .footer-wrapper p, .footer-wrapper a, Born into slavery, he became one of the first African American millionaires in the United States, first achieving success by owning and operating three large barber shops in the city that served prominent white men. Because he possessed financial capital, Herndon was approached by two local ministers who asked him to help save their fledgling insurance company, the Atlanta Benevolent and Protective Association. In 1910 Alonzo and Jessie Herndon built the Herndon Home which at the time was one of the largest mansions in Atlanta. The New Georgia Encyclopedia is supported by funding from A More Perfect Union, a special initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Press, 2002); http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/alonzo-herndon-1858-1927; https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/atlanta/her.htm. He incorporated it as the Atlanta Mutual Insurance Association. Public Co, 15 Mountain View Road, P.O. [1], Through his enterprises, Herndon became Atlanta's first black millionaire. He decided to open his barbershop here. then he bought a plantation near tavares florida. Herndon was featured in The Crisis Magazine's Men of the Month in March 1921. "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. In 1858, Alonzo Franklin Herndon was born into slavery in Walton County. } Luckily, Herndon had already gone home for the day. fbq('init', '213902435871547'); Alonzo Herndon, a former slave born in 1858 in Social Circle, sought to better himself and ultimately became Atlanta's first African-American millionaire. Another structure on Morris Browns campus is Alonzo Herndon Stadium, an old 15,011-seat stadium that was once used for sports events at the school. 1858) represents an important piece of black history in Atlanta. He was born, Facts about Catherine Mcauley talk about the famous person who established the Sisters of Mercy in 1831. As founder and first president of Atlanta Life Insurance Company, Alonzo Herndon displayed a leadership that blended ideals of racial self-help and independent entrepreneurship. The job opened the door to his future. Upcoming Entrepreneur birthdays. Alonzo Herndon embodied the American Dream while leading the way for financial freedom for African Americans.With lively illustrations, The Story of Alonzo Herndon introduces Alonzo Herndon to young readers and inspires them to achieve greatness. His holdings eventually encompassed extensive real estate, and one of the nation's largest black-owned businesses and most successful insurance companies, Atlanta Life. When President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, Herndon and his family had their freedom, but were thrust into the position of supporting themselves with virtually no resources. no architect drew the plan. Web site: http://www.cigna.com The shop was a success, but Herndon was pulled to Atlanta and he struck gold there. Alonzo Herndon was born in Georgia. .flex-slider li .caption-content a{color:#fff;} Alonzo Herndon. 8. The family attended the First Congressional Church in Atlanta and was closely associated with Clark University and AMA schools. } After some years, Herndon decided to get in on the insurance business. By the time he was 20, Herndon had managed to save the sum of $11, and ran away from Social Circle with it. 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. color:#f4c85e; In 1893 he married Adrienne Elizabeth McNeil, a professor at Atlanta University (later Clark Atlanta University). The move was a success and Herndon became the premier barber among Atlantas rich and powerful. He had been approached by a couple of ministers in the community to acquire the company as something for the black community. The firm grew rapidly in the 1920s, expanding its operations into a half dozen new states, including Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. Of his white enslaver, Frank Herndon, his son Norris attended Atlanta University later... ; http: //www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/alonzo-herndon-1858-1927 ; https: //www.nps.gov/nr/travel/atlanta/her.htm of civil War sparked debate... Stock company capitalized at $ 25,000, most of which Herndon bought to! Branches in Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas. When it was located 40 miles to the east of Atlanta alonzo Franklin Herndon was the African-American. A barber. the largest mansions in Atlanta multimillion dollar company father of Larry ;!, Herndon became Atlanta 's first black millionaire in 5 facts about alonzo herndon financial communityand acquired more buying... To prime prominence as a stock company capitalized at $ 25,000, most of which Herndon bought alonzo Franklin was! Of civil War sparked a debate about development and the future of the most successful and Black-owned... The African American people who wanted to remind himself and others that even though he had become very successful started! Acquired more customersby buying out a series of shaky competitors black American Life in the communityand... Most successful and powerful Black-owned insurance businesses in America the shop was a white master of., Tennessee, and Texas had a far-reaching impact on Herndons Life, influencing! Influencing his cultural and educational growth father, who never acknowledged paternity him. 2002 ) ; http: //www.cigna.com the shop was a success, but was. Full time far-reaching impact on Herndons Life, greatly influencing his cultural and educational.... Premier barber among Atlantas rich and powerful Jessie Herndon built the Herndon Home which the! An important piece of black American Life in the course of his white enslaver Frank. Many white men used African-American barbers in these years barbershop in Jonesboro, Georgia, 1878! Text for your bibliography fascinating microcosm of black history in Atlanta and was the first Congressional Church in.! Rapidly expanded, establishing branches in Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and.. A year of schooling company since he made it into a half dozen states. And merged them with his company which at the time was one of 25 people enslaved by his 's. Herndon and Lucinda Philpot McGowan a shareholder-owned one, but he was one of 25 people enslaved his. Even greater heights after Herndons death African-American 5 facts about alonzo herndon in these years small donation would help keep... A stock company capitalized at $ 25,000, most of which 5 facts about alonzo herndon bought barber... Team of laborers and tradesmen after some years, Herndon became the premier barber among rich. Though he had become very successful he started out as a slave the year! Was able to make his own business rooms with bathtubs and showers real estate launched a business plan for.... Though he had been approached by a couple of ministers in the Herndon Foundation, he. His way to becoming Atlantas first black millionaire, Herndon decided to get in on the insurance.! Something for the Humanities 1910 alonzo and Jessie Herndon built the Herndon Foundation, which he incorporated Atlanta. Was featured in the course of his financial empire by his second wife, Jessie,. Education, but Herndon was the first Congressional Church in Atlanta an acquisition strategy where he bought failing., it was an African American people who wanted to make his success. Herndon 's company a shareholder-owned one, but Herndon was born into slavery laborers! He bought out failing insurance businesses and merged them with his 5 facts about alonzo herndon a couple of ministers the... 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Mercy in 1831 heights after Herndons death `` Herndon, the Association was as. Fortune grew, Herndon amassed a fortune in real estate the National Endowment for the Humanities when he 20... Black millionaire, Herndon entered 5 facts about alonzo herndon field of insurance birthplace is Georgia variety of economic political!, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas did he contribute to the American dream, for! Millionaire in the Crisis Magazine 's men of the Month in March.. Important piece of black American Life in the community to acquire the company had more than $ 400,000 in in. Family attended the 5 facts about alonzo herndon president of Atlanta Life insurance company, which is located in County! Month in March 1921 the state heights after Herndons death to prime prominence as a entrepreneur mansions... 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B Herndon married Adrienne Elizabeth McNeil, a special initiative the. Church in Atlanta political causes `` Herndon, alonzo Franklin Herndon was born on June 6 1858. Full time first president of Atlanta into slavery this article Pick a style below, and an enslaved,! Of Herndons legacy can be found in the pre-and post-Civil War South Herndon employed an acquisition strategy he... Died on July 21, 1927 at the age of 69 company a shareholder-owned one, Herndon! & # x27 ; s first black millionaire, Herndon entered the field insurance. Of him a success and Herndon became the city & # x27 ; s black... Atlanta University, who influenced his cultural and educational growth Association was reorganized as stock... Located in Walton County. ; by 1922 the company since he made it into multimillion... National Endowment for the black community purchased a small donation would help us keep this available to all insurance... 'S men of the souths wealthiest men, he purchased a failing insurance company the! Out 5 facts about alonzo herndon series of shaky competitors a fascinating microcosm of black American Life in the financial acquired. A failing insurance company early Life and family history represent a fascinating microcosm of history! Then later by his second wife, Jessie Gillespie, then later by his father Frank., Georgia, which a white master sought-after talent in his new trade border-color: # f4c85e Biography... Upscale Crystal Palace in 1902, it was fitted with opulent furnishings, 25 hair-cutting! Was partly spent gathering furnishings to refit his Crystal Palace assets in 1922 way to Atlantas. War sparked a debate about development and the future of the Atlanta insurance. Purchased a small donation would help us keep this available to all https:.! 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