Total Assets: $114.35 billion (1994) font-size:38px; He also invented his money in real estate. 2. Clergyman, activist, author Herndon was born a slave on June 26, 1858, in a small town near Atlanta, Georgia, known as Social Circle. font-size:14px; All requests for permission to publish or reproduce the resource must be submitted to the rights holder. Upcoming Entrepreneur birthdays. letter-spacing:0.7px; 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. 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. How does Alonzo Herndon embody the American dream? Progressive voices like Henry Grady promoted a more diverse economy, welcoming northern investment, while populists like Tom Watson believed the focus should remain on the needs of working Georgians, particularly farmers. } 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 Franklin Herndon was an African American entrepreneur who founded and was the first president of Atlanta Life Insurance Company. .
Web site: http://www.chubb.com As his personal fortune grew, Herndon entered the field of insurance. li.mega-sub-item> ul.sub-menu >li >a:hover, li.mega-sub-item> ul.sub-menu >li >a:focus, margin-bottom: 10px; He soon founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, where he served as president. Alonzo Franklin Herndon was an African American entrepreneur who founded and was the first president of Atlanta Life Insurance Company. line-height:48px; } Herndon soon opened his first business, a barbershop, in Jonesboro. His insurance business reported more than $400,000 in assets in 1922. )- (Los Bros Hernandez, a collective pseudonym), Herndon, Nancy 1934- (Elizabeth Chadwick, Nancy Fairbanks), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/herndon-alonzo-franklin, The Mixed Legacy of the Reconstruction Era. 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. @media screen and (max-width: 1024px){ Over the next 10 years, Herndons Markham House establishment made him a wealthy man and allowed him to open two other upscalebarbershops in the city In 1896, when the hotel and Herndons shop were destroyed by fire, he set about creating a new showcase barbershop at 66 Peachtree Street. His success in barbering was spectacular, and as his earnings grew, he invested in real estate in Atlanta and in Florida. He passed away on 21 July 1927. In 1905 he used his proceeds to purchase a failing insurance business in the city, naming it the Atlanta Mutual Insurance Association. In 1878, Herndon left Social Circle on foot with eleven dollars in savings and approximately one year of formal schooling. [1], Through his enterprises, Herndon became Atlanta's first black millionaire. .loader { } Alonzo Herndon, a former slave born in 1858 in Social Circle, sought to better himself and ultimately became Atlanta's first African-American millionaire. Facts about Alonzo Herndon 1: life span Herndon was born on 26 June 1858 in Walton County, Georgia. Sign up to receive GPB Event announcements via Email. United States, From Rags to Riches: The Story of Alonzo Herndon, Copyright 2023, Georgia Public Broadcasting. Take a virtual tour of Georgia's museums and galleries, Fashion and politics from Georgia-born designer Frankie Welch. All Rights Reserved. The New Georgia Encyclopedia is supported by funding from A More Perfect Union, a special initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities. 1. With Herndon playing a pivotal role as president and chief stockholder, the small association expanded its assets from $5,000 in 1905 to more than $400,000 by 1922. .footer-wrapper p, .footer-wrapper a, color:#f4c85e; In 1905, his property holdings were valued at nearly $325,000. "My knees quaked with fear for I thought I was being telegraphed," he recalled, according to the Merritt book. McNeil had studied dramatic arts in Boston and New York, receiving the Belasco Gold Medal for excellence in expression in 1908. [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. 20042023 Georgia Humanities, University of Georgia Press. In 1905, Herndon purchased a failing mutual aid association . 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. } .flex-slider li .caption-content a{color:#fff;} -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)} Alonzo Franklin Herndon (June 26, 1858 Walton County, Georgia July 21, 1927) was an African-American entrepreneur and businessman in Atlanta, Georgia. Despite his beginnings as a slave, through hard work and determination Alonzo was able to make his own success. After some years, Herndon decided to get in on the insurance business. 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. With Herndon playing a pivotal role as president and chief stockholder, the small association expanded its assets from $5,000 in 1905 to more than $400,000 by 1922. no architect drew the plan. . Charles Clinton Spaulding was the United States preeminent black businessman of the early t, Public Company He decided to leave his Social Circle in 1878. Regardless of the reason, his acquisition strategy made Atlanta Life one of the most successful black businesses in the nation by the 1920s. He gave large sums to a local orphanage and kindergarten for black children, and to the city's leading African American church, First Congregational. border-left: 5px solid #f4c85e; Its barbers were African American, but the establishment served a white clientele only, and quickly became one of the city's leading barbershops. currency: 'USD',
The legacy of Alonzo Herndon (b. 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. Du Bois. One of the results of the Atlanta Race Massacre of 1906 was that Black leaders realized that W. E. B. 8. Finally in 1890 he opened his own place in the Markham Hotel, with five chairs. Georgias rise from the ashes of civil war sparked a debate about development and the future of the state. In 1878, at the age of 20, Herndon left his family and moved to Jonesboro, Georgia where he openedhis first barbershop. background:#494bbc; The family learned to feed themselves by sharecropping, which is whereHerndon 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. 20072023 Blackpast.org. Herndons barbering business expanded, and by 1904 he owned three shops in Atlanta. Present this to the class. Alonzo was born on June 26, 1858 in Georgia. James Oglethorpe Colonial Figures. The Herndons were very proud to be African Americans. Get facts about Alan Sugar here. As his earnings grew, Herndon began to invest in real estate, purchasing more than 100 rental houses, commercial property along Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, and a plantation near Tavares, Florida. Historian Marcellus Barksdale describes the Crystal Palace as fitting its name. ::selection{ "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. His mother took him, his five-year-old brother, and a few quilts with her, and found work nearby as a day laborer. In 1905, Herndon bought the business, then named the Atlanta Benevolent and Protective Association, and renamed it the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. 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. "I knew my mother would never consent to my leaving the farm, so I took my little hand trunk on my shoulder and stole silently away in the darkness of night," he wrote in a memoir, according to Carole Merritt's The Herndons: An Atlanta Family. Opened in 1902, it was fitted with opulent furnishings, 25 luxury hair-cutting stations, and several private rooms with bathtubs and showers. 1858) represents an important piece of black history in Atlanta. 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. "Significantly, Alonzo chose field labor rather than barbering to depict his critical path to success." .post-share i.fa:hover, .footer-copyright .social-icon ul li a:hover, .header-bottom .social-icon ul li a:hover, .content .post-content .read-more a, a.more-link, ul li a:hover, #commentform #commentSubmit, ol.commentlist li .reply a, .th-widget-recent-post .th-recent-post h5 a:hover, .widget .twitter-user a, .standard-layout .format-link h2, .th_more_posts a#more_posts, .format-quote blockquote p:before, .widget .tagcloud a:hover, .content .post-content .description p a, .page-description p a, .multipage-links span, .content .navigation.post-navigation .nav-links a:hover, .content #main .pagination a:hover, .post-title h2:hover{color:#f4c85e;}
Alonzo was a great inspiration for those who want to achieve great business. .home .header .logo h1 a,.home .header .logo p,.header .logo a,.header .logo p,header.smaller .header .logo h1 a{ border: 1px solid #f4c85e; } .woocommerce-product-gallery{ opacity: 1 !important; } His full name is Alonzo Franklin Herndon. } At the time, she was teaching drama and elocution at Atlanta University, from which she had only recently graduated, and was the sole African American woman on its faculty. You can visit it in Vine City at 587 University Place NW. 23 Feb. 2023
. . It also produced his only child, Norris, who succeeded him as chief executive of Atlanta Life Insurance Company. AtlantaFi, Alonzo Herndon: 8 Things To Know About The Atlanta Business Pioneer. } 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. B. But who was he and how did he contribute to the American dream, specifically for African-Americans? Herndon brought in experienced, professional management with a sound business plan that included an expanded, knowledgeable sales force and a new network of branch offices. Those barbershops had elite customers such as presidents, judges, business men, and lawyers. 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js');
"Herndon, Alonzo Franklin Featured Content. Retrieved Jul 14, 2020, from https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/alonzo-herndon-1858-1927/. It is one of a few structures associated with Herndon in Atlanta and the success he brought to the city. Holla:CJ@AtlantaFi.com. Alonzo Herndon, a former slave born in 1858 in Social Circle, sought to better himself and ultimately became Atlanta's first African-American millionaire. It was an architectural wonder when it was built in 1910 by an all-black team of laborers and tradesmen. .header-wrap-top .top-menu .top li a:hover{ [1] One of his large, refined, barbershops serving white customers was damaged by white rioters during the 1906 Atlanta race riot. Your support helps us commission new entries and update existing content. He opened a barbershop in Jonesboro, Georgia, in 1878 and moved to Atlanta four years later with a business plan for success. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, November 22, 1999, p. A1; August 18, 2002, p. G1. .widget .search-submit, .th_more_posts a#more_posts, .slider-post-content .read-more-slider a:hover, .widget .search-submit, .search .search-submit, #commentform #commentSubmit, ul.paging li a{ It is one of a few structures associated with Herndon in Atlanta and the success he brought to the city. In 1922, the name was changed to the Atlanta Life Insurance Company and expanded to several states in the south such as Florida, Kansas, Kentucky and other states. He was succeeded as head of his financial empire by his second wife, Jessie Gillespie, then later by his son Norris. 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. Today, the mansion that the Herndons built in Atlanta, known as the Herndon Home, is registered as a National Historic Place. Famous for founding and heading the successful Atlanta Family Life Insurance Company, he is also remembered as the . Luckily, Herndon had already gone home for the day. 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. Herndon bought the business for $140 in 1905, and when he deposited the sum according to the new state regulatory rules, his company became the first in the state to meet the new requirement. 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 . .simplesocialbuttons.simplesocialbuttons_inline.simplesocial-simple-round button{
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. .footer-wrapper .footer-copyright .copyright { Twice Herndon's businesses were destroyed by fire: once in 1896 after a gas stove across the street from the Markham ignited its building and leveled the hotel, and again in 1902 when his new place on Marietta Street ignited in a fire that destroyed an entire city block. Alonzo Herndon has been a part of the Entrepreneur list. He passed away on 21 July 1927. The article emphasizes his competence and success as a businessman. } fbq('track', 'PageView');
When he was a teen, his father hired him as an apprentice on the farm for the sum of $25 the first year, $30 the second, and $40 the third, nearly all of which was paid to his mother. {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? Atlanta Life's business thrived, and they expanded their business into Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. .upcoming-events li { Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/herndon-alonzo-franklin. .header-wrap-top,.header-wrap-top .inner-wrap-top{background:#1e73be;}.header-wrap-top .top-date{color:#fff;}.header-wrap-top .top-menu .top li a{color:#fff;} .header-wrap-top .top-social-icon li a{color:#fff;} 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. Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps. Herndon set out to make the Atlanta Benevolent and Protective Association into a leading provider of life insurance for African Americans in the South. ." She hired herself out by the day and as there was money in the country, she received as pay potatoes, molasses, and peas enough to keep us from starving.". Herndons mother, Sophenie, was a black slave; his father, Frank Herndon, was a white slave owner. Alonzo Herndon made his fortune as an entrepreneur--someone who created and ran his own business. Blake Sims. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. She was sent adrift in the world with her two children and a corded bed and [a] few quilts. background:#f4c85e; .home.page-template-magazine-template .navigation .menu > li > a:hover{ ::-moz-selection{ } Birthdate: November 08, 1866. } Jan. 03 1992. In addition to serving as a role model and inspiration to generations of African American entrepreneurs, Herndon left a significant family legacy. ." 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. }
Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. Henderson, Alexa. #main-menu-wrapper nav .mega .thunk-widget-menu a:hover,#menu .mega-menu-posts a:hover, 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. He began by buying a failing mutual aid association in 1905, when the state of Georgia increased capital requirements for such businesses. In 1905 he became the founder and president of what he built to be one of the United States' most well-known and successful African-American businesses, the Atlanta Family Life Insurance Company (Atlanta Life). U.S.A. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. color:#ddd; He used his savings to purchase a half interest in the barbershop, and then less than a year later, he purchased the balance. (February 23, 2023). FUN FACTS. The company built respect in the financial communityand acquired more customersby buying out a series of shaky competitors. 31. Company DuBois-led Niagara Movement. His holdings eventually encompassed extensive real estate, and one of the nations largest black-owned businesses and most successful insurance companies, Atlanta Life. 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. .last-btn #menu >li:last-child > a { When he was strong enough, at age 13, his former masterand biological fatheroffered him a job on the plantation as a farmhand, a position he held for the next seven years. Include how this persons life has affected your life. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)
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. In 1910, Herndons wife died unexpectedly. "Herndon was eager to capitalize on it.". By Lestey Gist, The Gist of Freedom An African-American barber and entrepreneur, Alonzo Herndon was the founder and president of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, one of the most successful black-owned insurance businesses in the nation.
.page-template-magazine-template.page .header-style-one .header #main-menu-wrapper a#pull:before { color:#f4c85e; color:#494bbc; Their marriage had a far-reaching impact on Herndons life, greatly influencing his cultural and educational growth.
Today, part of Herndons legacy can be found in the Herndon Foundation, which. Biography. h3.view{background:#0e0e0e;} 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. That year Herndon changed the name of the company to Atlanta Life Insurance Company.
With the Southern economy wrecked, she was forced to accept payment in molasses, potatoes, or other provisions in order to feed her sons. "The idea of a frieze was probably suggested to Adrienne by an interior decorator, but it would have fallen to Alonzo to capture the essence of his life in five images," wrote Merritt, director of the museum that the residence became many years later. 1. The firm grew rapidly in the 1920s, expanding its operations. border-bottom: 1px solid #f4c85e; The move was a success and Herndon became the premier barber among Atlantas rich and powerful. color:#494bbc!important; As the founder and President of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, Herndons empire began small but grew to become an inspiration for Black business. born into slavery, alonzo herndon would go on to build a company that is still around today. 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.
} Feb. 24 1955. The Herndon family home was eventually turned into a museum, and was placed on the National Historic Landmark Register in 2000. WABE: This Day in History: Alonzo Herndon Establishes Atlanta Mutual Life Association, Black Enterprise: "Unbeatable Combination", Georgia Stories: The Alonzo Herndon Family. .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{ 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. 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. When W. E. B. Herndon said he did this to support and empower Black businesses and their workers. .archive-title, .page-title, li.sl-related-thumbnail h3, .multipage-links span{ background:#f4c85e; After 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. value: 100,
He also became the president of this company. His insurance company was very successful since it was operated in some states in US such as Texas, Kansas, Florida, Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky. letter-spacing:0.4px; Du Bois's ideas of pushing racial equality were more productive than the ideas of Booker T. Washington. 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. Herndon married Adrienne McNeil in 1893, a professor at Atlanta University, one of the many institutions he supported. She was a drama teacher at Atlanta University at the time. color:; Murals in its living room depicted scenes from Herndon's life, including tilling the red-clay fields of Social Circle. His mother, Sophenie Herndon, was a slave and his father, Frank Herndon, was her master on a farm in Social Circle,. Herndon saved other failing insurance companies by merging their company with Atlanta Life Insurance, claiming his efforts were designed to build confidence in black businesses and save jobs for African American men and women. The other was John Merricks North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company. .home .navigation .menu > li > a:hover, .home .navigation ul li a:hover, .home header #main-menu-wrapper .menu-item-has-children > a:hover:after, Within six months, Herndon became a sought-after talent in his new trade. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/herndon-alonzo-franklin, "Herndon, Alonzo Franklin He incorporated it as the Atlanta Mutual Insurance Association. Encyclopedia of World Biography. 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. 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 1858-1927 Alonzo Herndon parlayed success as a barber and as the owner of upscale barbershops into a business empire. He openedhis first barbershop the time unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content and tradesmen the Race! Financial empire by his second wife, Jessie Gillespie, then later by his second,! Company that is still around today http: //www.chubb.com as his earnings grew, he also. Foundation, which Herndon: 8 Things to Know about the Atlanta Insurance... Those barbershops had elite customers such as presidents, judges, business men, and one the! University Place NW site: http: //www.chubb.com as his earnings grew, Herndon became Atlanta 's first millionaire... 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