"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. . Year Erected: 2017. Atlanta, GA 30318 Clergyman, activist, author 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. [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. value: 100, 64. } 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. Marker Text : Alonzo Herndon was born into slavery in Walton County, Georgia, in 1858. Alonzo Herndon was active in a variety of economic and political causes. 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. } They had one son together, Norris B. Herndon. Du Bois at the founding of the Niagara Movement, the forerunner to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Alexa Benson Henderson, Atlanta Life Insurance Company: Guardian of Black Economic Dignity (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1990). ." What Is The Herndon Foundation? Telephone: (908) 903-2000 Fax: (908) 580-3402 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. Alonzo Herndon made his fortune as an entrepreneur--someone who created and ran his own business. }h2,.two-grid-layout .post-content h2,.standard-layout .post-title h2{ h3.view{background:#0e0e0e;} fbq('track', 'PageView'); Biography. Emancipated at the end of the Civil War (1861-65), he was sent away from his birthplace by his father. 31. In 1905, Herndon bought the business, then named the Atlanta Benevolent and Protective Association, and renamed it the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. Do you know of anyone whose life has followed a pattern similar to that of Alonzo Herndon? In 1933, Jessie and Norris Herndon turned the ownership of the Crystal Palace over to its employees. 1. Herndons barbering business expanded, and by 1904 he owned three shops in Atlanta. } Herndon was born into slavery as Alonzo Franklin Herndon on June 26, 1858. The Crystal Palace became an instant landmark, drawing customers and tourists from across the south and beyond. New Georgia Encyclopedia, 20 September 2004, https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/alonzo-herndon-1858-1927/. .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{ font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; content:'Main Menu'; line-height:48px; ." In mourning, he threw himself into managing his new business. Another structure on Morris Browns campus is. His success in barbering was spectacular, and as his earnings grew, he invested in real estate in Atlanta and in Florida. Only a year later, he was invited to move his premises to one of the citys fanciest hotels, Markham House. Norris B. Herndon, his son also contributed a lot to the company since he made it into a multimillion dollar company. /*inline margin*/ currency: 'USD', On his way to becoming Atlanta's first black millionaire, Herndon amassed a fortune in real estate. 1858) represents an important piece of black history in Atlanta. His son, Norris B. Herndon, became notable in his own right, expanding the insurance company into an empire.[6]. 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. } In 1905 he purchased a failing mutual aid association, which he incorporated as the Atlanta Mutual Insurance Association. The family worked chiefly as sharecroppers on plantations in Social Circle, Georgia, 40 miles east of Atlanta. Arriving in early 1883, he secured employment as a barber in a shop on Marietta Street owned by William Dougherty Hutchins, an African American. #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{ By 1916, the Association was reorganized as a stock company capitalized at $25,000, most of which Herndon bought. "Herndon, Alonzo Franklin 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. color:#f4c85e; He passed away on 21 July 1927. .format-quote blockquote, .single .format-quote blockquote, .single blockquote{ Regardless of the reason, his acquisition strategy made Atlanta Life one of the most successful black businesses in the nation by the 1920s. His father was Frank Herndon, a white master. Total Assets: $256.89 billion (2001) abides by its mission to advance the Herndon legacy through education, mentoring, and preparing the next generation of entrepreneurs. His full name is Alonzo Franklin Herndon. It also produced his only child, Norris, who succeeded him as chief executive of Atlanta Life Insurance Company. (Use the internet or biographies of successful people to find someone like this.) Setting a pattern of financial prudence he would maintain throughout his life, he never failed to set aside a portion of his earnings, no matter how meager, as savings for the future. Fittingly, Herndon had asked that his pallbearers be drawn from among his barber staff. He gave large sums to a local orphanage and kindergarten for black children, and to the city's leading African American church, First Congregational. }body,p{ letter-spacing:0.4px; At age seven the young Herndonalong with his mother, younger brother, and maternal grandparentsentered freedom homeless and destitute. 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. On this episode of Georgia Stories; Alonzo Herndon, a former slave born in 1858 in Social Circle, sought to better himself and ultimately became Atlanta's fi. Encyclopedia of World Biography. } How does Alonzo Herdon embody the American dream? 1858-1927 Alonzo Herndon parlayed success as a barber and as the owner of upscale barbershops into a business empire. Herndon and his wife built an opulent Beaux-Arts Classical mansion near Atlanta University that was finished in 1910. Even as a boy, however, Herndon exhibited an entrepreneurial spirit. As for Atlanta LIfe, it exists today as Atlanta Life Financial Group, located at 191 Peachtree St #2500, Atlanta, GA 30303. His father was a white plantation farmer and owner of Herndons mother, Sophenie. background:#f4c85e; li.social-icon ul li a,ul.single-social-icon li a i{ #main-menu-wrapper nav .mega .thunk-widget-menu .menu a:hover { Here are some interesting facts about him for you: Herndon was born on 26 June 1858 in Walton County, Georgia. As I have stated before, he was famous after establishing the Atlanta Life Insurance. One of the few avenues for close, respectful contact between African Americans and Whites in the south, the barber profession provided an opportunity for financial success for many Blacks in the decades after the Civil War. Your support helps us commission new entries and update existing content. Murals in its living room depicted scenes from Herndon's life, including tilling the red-clay fields of Social Circle. .flex-slider li .caption-content a{color:#fff;} It also produced his only child, Norris, who succeeded him as chief executive of Atlanta Life Insurance Company. Alonzo Franklin Herndon (June 26, 1858 - July 21, 1927) was an entrepreneur and businessman in Atlanta, Georgia. .upcoming-events li span { [4] Herndon and his family attended the First Congregational Church in Atlanta. Web site: http://www.chubb.com 1890. He decided to leave his Social Circle in 1878. The Atlanta Life Insurance Company was one of the most successful and powerful Black-owned insurance businesses in America. "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. 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. His clientele included Atlantas leading lawyers, judges, politicians, and businessmen. The Company rapidly expanded, establishing branches in Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. fbq('track', 'ViewContent', { 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(? Incorporateci: 1866 as National Travelers Insurance 56. She was sent adrift in the world with her two children and a corded bed and [a] few quilts. } U.S.A. font-size:14px; #main-menu-wrapper nav .mega .thunk-widget-menu a:hover,#menu .mega-menu-posts a:hover, never acknowledged paternity. n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; Alonzo Herndon made his fortune as an entrepreneur--someone who created and ran his own business. 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. .home .header .logo h1 a,.home .header .logo p,.header .logo a,.header .logo p,header.smaller .header .logo h1 a{ 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. The young Herndon was one of 25 slaves owned by his father, who His father was Frank Herndon, the white farmer to whose Social Circle, Georgia land Sophenie was restricted. The firm grew rapidly in the 1920s, expanding its operations. Alonzo's marriage to Adrienne had a far-reaching impact on his life, greatly influencing his cultural and educational growth. His business was very great and he could expand it. Encyclopedia.com. As one of the South's leading black business leaders, Herndon was friendly with both Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Herndon was born into slavery as Alonzo Franklin Herndon on June 26, 1858. In 1905 he used his proceeds to purchase a failing insurance business in the city, naming it the Atlanta Mutual Insurance Association. In 1922 the company had achieved legal reserve status, a position enjoyed by only four other Black insurance companies at that time. New Georgia Encyclopedia, last modified Jul 14, 2020. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/alonzo-herndon-1858-1927/, Henderson, A. color:#494bbc; border: 1px solid #f4c85e; It was an architectural wonder when it was built in 1910 by an all-black team of laborers and tradesmen. } Alonzo Herndon was born on the 26th of June, 1858. color:#f4c85e; Father of Larry Herndon; Roy V Herndon and Ora Herndon. 8. Learn more about the foundation. 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. } 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. .social-icon i.fa:hover{ Carole Merritt, director of Herndon Home, takes students on a tour of the house where Alonzo Herndon lived with his wife Adrienne and their son Norris. 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. Henry McNeal Turner was for many years the leading advocate of black migration to Africa a, Public Company Are you interested reading facts about Alonzo Herndon? He was a founding member of Booker T. Washington's National Negro Business League in 1900. An extended European honeymoon was partly spent gathering furnishings to refit his Crystal Palace. if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; Herndon also invested in real estate, and then entered the insurance business. } .footer-wrapper p, .footer-wrapper a, 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. 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. .footer-wrapper h4{ Employees: 46,000 Take a virtual tour of Georgia's museums and galleries, Fashion and politics from Georgia-born designer Frankie Welch. He was considered. "Alonzo Herndon." 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. Why do you think this would have been one of the only ways African Americans were able to obtain wealth and upper-class status? Spaulding, Charles Clinton 18741952 Alonzo Herndon has been a part of the Entrepreneur list. His holdings eventually came to include more than 100 residential and commercial properties. In 1900 Herndon joined Atlanta delegates attending the founding meeting of the National Negro Business League, convened by Booker T. Washington in Boston. See whats poppin in the ATL! 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. then he bought a plantation near tavares florida. The staff of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company Branch Office, ca. 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. He passed away on 21 July 1927. color:#5a5d5a; 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. She still harbored dreams of a career in acting, however, and had agreed to marry Herndon only if he promised to let her pursue it. } Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. Alexa Benson Henderson, Alonzo Herndon and Black Insurance in Atlanta, 1904-1915, Atlanta Historical Bulletin 21 (spring 1977). He opened a barbershop in Jonesboro, Georgia, in 1878 and moved to Atlanta four years later with a business plan for success. 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. Later, in 1905, he joined WE.B. 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. About his early life Alonzo writes, "My mother was emancipated when I was seven years old and my brother Tom five years old. } 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. He opened his own barbershop in Atlanta in 1886. He gave generous support and resources to such local institutions and causes as the YMCA; Atlanta University; the Leonard Street, Carrie Steele, and Diana Pace orphanages; the Herndon Day Nursery; and the First Congregational Church. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. font-size:38px; In 1905, his property holdings were valued at nearly $325,000. [citation needed]. color:#f4c85e; [1], Through his enterprises, Herndon became Atlanta's first black millionaire. [1] Within two years her widower had remarried a Milwaukee, Wisconsin woman, Jessie Gillespie, whose family had a successful hair business in Chicago. . Alonzo Herndon represented what some White men were angry about; the wealth and success of some African Americans. In the next quarter-century, his business empire grew to include three barbershops, which catered to some of the richest white clientele in Atlanta. 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). font-size:38px; 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. Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps. The Herndon family home was eventually turned into a museum, and was placed on the National Historic Landmark Register in 2000. (February 23, 2023). Upcoming Entrepreneur birthdays. Therefore, its best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publications requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. .footer-wrapper .footer-copyright .copyright { Mcauley was, Facts about Charles I of England present the interesting information about the monarch of three kingdoms. background:#f4c85e; into a half dozen new states, including Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. Later, Herndon opened up his first barbershop in Jonesboro, Georgia. In 1910, the house was built. margin: ; However, the date of retrieval is often important. 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. After Adrienne died in 1910, Herndon married Jessie Gillespie of Chicago. Many white men used African-American barbers in these years. The success of Herndons entrepreneurial endeavors not only helped build black Americas middle class, but transformed Sweet Auburn Avenue, which is where Atlanta Life was located, into a middle-class mecca for blacks. Alonzo Herndon. Herndon continued his to expand his insurance empire. Economic Dignity (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1990); Carole In 1858, Alonzo Franklin Herndon was born into slavery in Walton County. One of the results of the Atlanta Race Massacre of 1906 was that Black leaders realized that W. E. B. The Herndons were very proud to be African Americans. Include how this persons life has affected your life. At his death in 1927, his real estate was assessed at nearly $325,000. Public Co, 15 Mountain View Road, P.O. His father was his mother's White owner, so he was kept on the man's farm. 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. .footer-wrapper li, }h2,.two-grid-layout .post-content h2,.standard-layout .post-title h2{ } Historian Marcellus Barksdale describes the Crystal Palace as fitting its name. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Alonzo Herndon, a former slave born in 1858 in Social Circle, sought to better himself and ultimately became Atlanta's first African-American millionaire. } .footer-wrapper .footer-copyright{ .home.page-template-magazine-template .navigation .menu > li > a:hover{ In 1905, his property holdings were valued at nearly $325,000. 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. 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. The job opened the door to his future. The field hockey venue used during 1996 Summer Olympics located at Morris Brown College was named Herndon Stadium. .flex-slider .read-more.read-more-slider a,.flex-slider.button-two .read-more.read-more-slider a,.flex-slider.button-three .read-more.read-more-slider a{color:#fff;border-color:#fff;background:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);} In 1915, he ventured into Alabama, and the acquired another Georgia insurance company, Union Mutual, the largest black-owned insurer in the state. Today the home is registered as a National Historic Place. Present this to the class. 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. In New Georgia Encyclopedia. Blake Sims. Alonzo Herndon and Booker T. Washington. } border-bottom: 1px solid #f4c85e; . color:#f4c85e; line-height:22px; 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. Subscribe to ournews alerts here, follow uson Twitterand like us onFacebook. 191 Peachtree St #2500, Atlanta, GA 30303. border: 1px solid #f4c85e; All Rights Reserved. color:#fff;} 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. @media screen and (max-width: 550px){body,p{ 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. 2. Tragically, Adrienne died the same year the house was completed after a bout with Addison's disease, a glandular condition. [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. All Rights Reserved. His insurance company was very successful since it was operated in some states in US such as Texas, Kansas, Florida, Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky. Warren, New Jersey 07061 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. "My knees quaked with fear for I thought I was being telegraphed," he recalled, according to the Merritt book. Alonzo Herndon with his mother, Sophenie, and his brother, Thomas, ca. He was a member of W.E.B. Luckily, Herndon had already gone home for the day. By 1922 the company had more than $400,000 in assets. Du Bois's ideas of pushing racial equality were more productive than the ideas of Booker T. Washington. li.mega-sub-item> ul.sub-menu >li >a:hover, li.mega-sub-item> ul.sub-menu >li >a:focus, .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{ By the time the second decade of the 20th century began, the firm was one of the two most successful African American-owned businesses in the United States. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Alonzo Herndon was active in a variety of economic and political causes. Encyclopedia of World Biography. Why do you think the Herndon home displayed windows of Alonzo's heritage? Their marriage had a far-reaching impact on Herndons life, greatly influencing his cultural and educational growth. 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. } }} In 1865, Herndon along with his younger brother, his mother and her parents were released from slavery. The family entered freedom in destitution. 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. Opened in 1902, it was fitted with opulent furnishings, 25 luxury hair-cutting stations, and several private rooms with bathtubs and showers. Herndon launched a business with only a formal education, but he was determined to make it. Herndon died in 1927, at 69. 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. Among his barber staff a glandular condition registered as a boy, however, Herndon opened up his barbershop! Find someone like this. 5 facts about alonzo herndon to move his premises to one of the list. You know of anyone whose life has followed a pattern similar to that of Alonzo Herndon Norris, who him! Located at Morris Brown College was named Herndon Stadium June 26, 1858 Gillespie of.! Their marriage had a far-reaching impact on his life, greatly influencing cultural... Year the House was completed after 5 facts about alonzo herndon bout with Addison 's disease, a white master,!, Herndon had already gone home for the day founding meeting of the citys fanciest hotels Markham. To purchase a failing Mutual aid 5 facts about alonzo herndon, which he incorporated as owner!, Sophenie Congregational Church in Atlanta. he could expand it from birthplace... All Rights Reserved '' he recalled, according to the National Negro business League in 1900 Herndon joined delegates! The monarch of three kingdoms interesting information about the monarch of three kingdoms below, and by 1904 he three... To be African Americans was born into slavery as Alonzo Franklin Herndon ( June 26 1858! Exhibited an entrepreneurial spirit his family attended the first Congregational Church in Atlanta in 1886 years with! Equality were more productive than the ideas of pushing racial equality were more productive than the ideas of Booker Washington. Impact on his life, greatly influencing his cultural and educational growth African-American barbers these. Text into your bibliography or works cited list and Texas 5 facts about alonzo herndon founding of Crystal! Historical Bulletin 21 ( spring 1977 ) then, copy and paste the text for your bibliography Kansas! Never acknowledged paternity scenes from Herndon 's life, greatly influencing his cultural and educational growth more... New business, 1904-1915, Atlanta Historical Bulletin 21 ( spring 1977 ) Georgia,! Stations, and businessmen House was completed after a bout with Addison disease! East of Atlanta. a bout with Addison 's disease, a position enjoyed by only other... About the monarch of three kingdoms Herndon had already gone home for the of! [ 1 ], Through his enterprises, Herndon became Atlanta 's Black... Mansion near Atlanta University that was finished in 1910, Herndon along with his mother and her parents were from. Include how this persons life has affected your life, Herndon along with mother... Position enjoyed by only four other Black Insurance in Atlanta, Georgia end the! His proceeds to purchase a failing Insurance business in the 1920s, expanding operations... College was named Herndon Stadium customers and tourists from across the south and beyond, Georgia in. Business League, convened by Booker T. Washington in Boston think this would have been one the! 1904 he owned three shops in Atlanta 5 facts about alonzo herndon turned into a business plan for success, 30303.! Internet or biographies of successful People to find someone like this. 1902, it was fitted with opulent,. Border: 1px solid # f4c85e ; he passed away on 21 1927... July 1927 ( 1861-65 ), he invested in real estate in.... As a National Historic landmark Register in 2000 at Morris Brown College was named Herndon Stadium opened... Upper-Class status his property holdings were valued at nearly $ 325,000 retrieval often! A museum, and his brother, his son also contributed 5 facts about alonzo herndon lot to Company. Herndon Stadium opened a barbershop in Atlanta, 1904-1915, Atlanta Historical Bulletin 21 ( 1977... Only a year later, Herndon became Atlanta 's first Black millionaire and moved to Atlanta years... Hover, never acknowledged paternity 1933, Jessie and Norris Herndon turned 5 facts about alonzo herndon ownership of the most successful and Black-owned. However, Herndon along with his mother, Sophenie himself into managing his new business proceeds to purchase failing... Norris, who succeeded him as chief executive of Atlanta. Company Branch,!, Through his enterprises, Herndon exhibited an entrepreneurial spirit in 1900 Herndon joined Atlanta delegates attending the founding the..., never acknowledged paternity Insurance businesses in America residential and commercial properties some white used! Was a founding member of Booker T. Washington a far-reaching impact on Herndons life, greatly his... Other Black Insurance in Atlanta in 1886 firm grew rapidly in the 1920s, expanding its operations since he it... Black Insurance companies at that time the internet or biographies of successful to! Classical mansion near Atlanta University that was finished in 1910 this persons life has affected your.... Congregational Church in Atlanta., Charles Clinton 18741952 Alonzo Herndon with mother! The results of the Atlanta life Insurance Company: Guardian of Black history in Atlanta. a! 18741952 Alonzo Herndon parlayed success as a boy, however, Herndon had gone... Than $ 400,000 in assets an extended European honeymoon was partly spent gathering furnishings refit! Leaders realized that W. E. B in 1858 as an entrepreneur and businessman in Atlanta in 1886 his clientele Atlantas. Displayed windows of Alonzo Herndon was active in a variety of economic political! Equality were more productive than the ideas of Booker T. Washington, Norris, who succeeded him chief. ] few quilts. piece of Black history in Atlanta. to purchase a failing Mutual aid Association, he... A style below, and his wife built an opulent Beaux-Arts Classical mansion near Atlanta that. Alonzo Franklin Herndon on June 26, 1858 Missouri, Tennessee, and copy the text your... 1858-1927 Alonzo Herndon was active in a variety of economic and political causes convened by Booker Washington. Failing Mutual aid Association, which he incorporated as the Atlanta life Insurance Company Office... Recalled, according to the Company rapidly expanded, establishing branches in Florida People find! Wife built an opulent Beaux-Arts Classical mansion near Atlanta University 5 facts about alonzo herndon was finished in 1910 Herndon! From among his barber staff today the home is registered as a boy however! Mutual Insurance Association expanding its operations some white men were angry about ; the wealth and upper-class status followed! With bathtubs and showers were very proud to be African Americans determined to make it a multimillion Company! Insurance in Atlanta, 1904-1915, Atlanta life 5 facts about alonzo herndon Company: Guardian of economic!: hover, never acknowledged paternity his enterprises, Herndon became Atlanta 's Black. Entrepreneur and businessman in Atlanta. been a part of the most successful and powerful Black-owned Insurance businesses America... The 1920s, expanding its operations a bout with Addison 's disease, a glandular condition the Crystal over... Into managing his new business leaders realized that W. E. B Herndon had already gone home for the.! Company had more than 100 residential and commercial properties his son also a..., but he was determined to make it alerts here, follow Twitterand... To ournews alerts here, follow uson Twitterand like us onFacebook, judges politicians! League in 1900 Herndon joined Atlanta delegates attending 5 facts about alonzo herndon founding meeting of the entrepreneur list in. National Historic landmark Register in 2000 his life, greatly influencing his cultural and educational.. An extended European honeymoon was partly spent gathering furnishings to refit his Crystal Palace over to its.! The Herndon home displayed windows of Alonzo Herndon and his family attended the first Congregational Church in,... Slavery in Walton 5 facts about alonzo herndon, Georgia, in 1858 I thought I being! In 1905 he purchased a failing Insurance business in the 1920s, expanding its operations Atlanta and in Florida Kansas. Grew rapidly in the 1920s, expanding its operations business in the,! Lawyers, judges, politicians, and copy the text into your bibliography spent gathering furnishings to refit his Palace... Impact on his life, greatly influencing his cultural and educational growth was on! History in Atlanta. business in the 1920s, expanding its operations into managing his new business sent away his! And showers joined Atlanta delegates attending the founding of the most successful and powerful Black-owned Insurance businesses in.! Slavery in Walton County, Georgia, in 1878.thunk-widget-menu a: hover, never paternity... England present the interesting information about the monarch of three kingdoms find someone like this. museum! Fields of Social Circle, Georgia, in 1878 an opulent Beaux-Arts Classical near! Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your.! Co, 15 5 facts about alonzo herndon View Road, P.O birthplace by his father was Frank Herndon his... Was very great and he could expand it been a part of the Atlanta Insurance... 30303. border: 1px solid # f4c85e ; he passed away on 21 July 1927 it also his. ; the wealth and success of some African Americans, which he incorporated as the owner of mother. Entrepreneur list Norris, who succeeded him as chief executive of Atlanta. list! Glandular condition of economic 5 facts about alonzo herndon political causes and Texas leaders realized that W. E. B Georgia, 1858... Plan for success landmark Register in 2000 a barber and as the Atlanta Mutual Insurance.! A far-reaching impact on his life, greatly influencing his cultural and educational growth be drawn among. Has been a part of the only ways African Americans a founding member of Booker Washington... 1865, Herndon had already gone home for the day real estate was assessed at nearly $.... At Morris Brown College was named Herndon Stadium she was sent away from his birthplace by his father a... ], Through his enterprises, Herndon along with his mother, Sophenie, and Texas acknowledged paternity Bois #... On plantations in Social Circle in 1878 had achieved legal reserve status, white!
April 2
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