By the time he was 20, Herndon had managed to save the sum of $11, and ran away from Social Circle with it. It is one of a few structures associated with Herndon in Atlanta and the success he brought to the city. Alexa Benson Henderson, Atlanta Life Insurance Company: Guardian of Black Economic Dignity (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1990). Herndons barbershop expanded to three shops, attracting Black Atlantas elite. Discuss the traits and describe how each one contributed to Herndons amazing success. Atlanta's Alonzo Herndon, born into slavery, became one of the first African-American millionaires in the U.S., founding Atlanta Life Insurance Company, among header,.page header{ Box 1615
Alonzo was a great inspiration for those who want to achieve great business. Year Erected: 2017. Herndon said he did this to support and empower Black businesses and their workers. The couple had a son, Norris, who grew Atlanta Life to even greater heights after Herndons death. 23 Feb. 2023 . Herndon and the prominent writer and abolitionist Frederick Douglass both spent their early years in slavery. } 1. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Alonzo Herndon was born on the 26th of June, 1858. "My knees quaked with fear for I thought I was being telegraphed," he recalled, according to the Merritt book. His holdings eventually encompassed extensive real estate, and one of the nations largest black-owned businesses and most successful insurance companies, Atlanta Life. Herndon also used his wealth to support local institutions and causes, such as the Young Mens Christian Association (YMCA), Atlanta University, the First Congregational Church, the Southview Cemetery, and the Atlanta State Savings Bank. color:; Herndon was born on July 21, 1858, to Sophenie Herndon, a slave. Employees: 32,000 McNeil had studied dramatic arts in Boston and New York, receiving the Belasco Gold Medal for excellence in expression in 1908. 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. Why do you think the Herndon home displayed windows of Alonzo's heritage? }h2,.two-grid-layout .post-content h2,.standard-layout .post-title h2{
Luckily, Herndon had already gone home for the day. American executive Alonzo Franklin Herndon (1858-1927) founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, one of the leading insurers in the American South. He spent his meager spare time peddling peanuts, homemade molasses, and axle grease to earn money to support the family. Merged with two other firms and renamed the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, the firm prospered. After Adrienne died in 1910, Herndon married Jessie Gillespie of Chicago, Illinois who became an active partner in Atlanta Life and who led the company along with her stepson, after Herndons death. 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. 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:#494bbc; color:#5a5d5a; BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. As his personal fortune grew, Herndon entered the field of insurance. margin: ;
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Herndon was a successful entrepreneur who made significant contributions to the civil rights of African-Americans as well as their continued higher education after high school. Spaulding, Charles Clinton 18741952 Before long, he took up barbering and mens grooming, which afforded freed blacks a level of eliteness in a white world. That same year, he re-opened for business at an address of 66 Peachtree Street that would become his flagship enterprise for the next several decades. In 1910, the house was built. font-size:38px; border-color:#f4c85e; As I have stated before, he was famous after establishing the Atlanta Life Insurance. Having recently come out of slavery, many African Americans lacked formal education and access to higher education. 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. After his first wifes death in 1910, Herndon married Jessie Gillespie of Chicago, whose influence and support also aided her husband in his business and social life. letter-spacing:0.4px; What Is The Herndon Foundation? Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Employees: 46,000 In 1882, he moved to Atlanta, and found a post with a highly regarded local barber. ." .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);} Finally in 1890 he opened his own place in the Markham Hotel, with five chairs. He was known for being a Entrepreneur. line-height:48px; At the time of his death in 1927, he was also Atlanta 's wealthiest Black citizen, owning more property than any other African American. Facts about Elias Howe make us talk about the American inventor. .header-wrap-top .top-social-icon li a:hover{color:#f4c85e;} There he opened his first barbershop. All Rights Reserved. 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. With his savings replenished, he moved to Atlanta in 1883, hoping to expand his opportunities. } #main-menu-wrapper nav .mega .thunk-widget-menu a:hover,#menu .mega-menu-posts a:hover, Mrs. Herndon and her stepson worked together in leading Atlanta Life to even greater success. "Herndon, Alonzo Franklin Are you interested reading facts about Alonzo Herndon? 3. 1858-1927 Alonzo Herndon parlayed success as a barber and as the owner of upscale barbershops into a business empire. They had to become entrepreneurs to rise out of the role of servant, farmer, or menial worker. Herndon continued his to expand his insurance empire. } } 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. content:'Main Menu'; Include how this persons life has affected your life. Incorporateci: 1866 as National Travelers Insurance Alonzo Herndon is a famous Entrepreneur. } #menu .has-mega-sub-blog-menu .mega-sub-menu ul li a:hover{ }h2,.two-grid-layout .post-content h2,.standard-layout .post-title h2{ /*inline margin*/
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. 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.
Herndon supplemented the family income by working as day laborer and peddler of peanuts, homemade molasses, and axle grease. He hired top managers with industry experience, trained a professional sales force, and acquired smaller, struggling insurance companies in both Georgia and nearby states. His success in barbering was spectacular, and as his earnings grew, he invested in real estate in Atlanta and in Florida. .footer-wrapper .footer-copyright{ } 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. He also became the president of this company. } .home header.smaller, header.smaller{ He was born on 9th July 1819 and, Facts about Bernie Mac tell you about the notable American actor, stand-up comedian and voice artist. 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.
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.
.read-more.read-more-slider a:hover{ 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. His full name is Alonzo Franklin Herndon. In 1905 he used his proceeds to purchase a failing insurance business in the city, naming it the Atlanta Mutual Insurance Association. His shop at 66 Peachtree Street, outfitted with crystal chandeliers and gold fixtures, was advertised as the largest and best barbershop in the region. 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. color:#606060; At the time of his death Herndons real estate holdings were valued at nearly $325,000. Its barbers were African American, but the establishment served a white clientele only, and quickly became one of the city's leading barbershops. 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. Blake Sims. Herndon began to appreciate the acumen of operating good business when dealing with people, a quality that would come to serve him greatly later in life. 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. Only a year later, he was invited to move his premises to one of the citys fanciest hotels, Markham House. She was a drama teacher at Atlanta University at the time. He was even a delegate to the first conference of the National Negro Business League organized by Washington in 1890, and was involved in Du Bois's 1905 Niagara Movement, a conference held in Fort Erie, Ontario that eventually led to the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The move was a success and Herndon became the premier barber among Atlantas rich and powerful. Du Bois at the founding of the Niagara Movement, the forerunner to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. 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. Biography. 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. Subscribe to ournews alerts here, follow uson Twitterand like us onFacebook. At age 20, Herndon decided to broaden his horizons, first taking a job as a farmhand in the nearby town of Senoia, then taking a part-time position in Jonesboro as a barber. Alonzo Herndon made his fortune as an entrepreneur--someone who created and ran his own business. Completed in 1910, the Herndon Home, was the residence of Alonzo Herndon and his family. Stock Exchanges: N, One Liberty Place 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. As for Atlanta LIfe, it exists today as Atlanta Life Financial Group, located at. Herndons wealth and business position brought with it a great deal of social responsibility, and the African American community looked to him for leadership in a number of areas. Birthdate: November 08, 1866. 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. color:#f4c85e; 260 14th St. NW He also invented his money in real estate. Press, 2002); http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/alonzo-herndon-1858-1927; https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/atlanta/her.htm. Herndon trained as a barber, and had his first small shop in Jonesboro. He was born, Facts about Catherine Mcauley talk about the famous person who established the Sisters of Mercy in 1831. Later, in 1905, he joined WE.B. New Georgia Encyclopedia, 20 September 2004, https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/alonzo-herndon-1858-1927/. The Atlanta Life Insurance Company was one of the most successful and powerful Black-owned insurance businesses in America. In 1878, at the age of 20, Herndon left his family and moved to Jonesboro, Georgia where he openedhis first barbershop. [3], In 1893, Herndon married Adrienne Elizabeth McNeil, a professor at Atlanta University who helped him gain an education and refinement. 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. .flex-slider li .caption-content h1{ In 1910, Herndons wife died unexpectedly. 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. 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. The firm grew rapidly in the 1920s, expanding its operations into a half dozen new states, including Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. After starting in the shop of another black man in Atlanta, Herndon later owned three barbershops in Atlanta, including a large one at 66 Peachtree Street that he fitted out with luxurious furnishings. Jan. 03 1992. His insurance business reported more than $400,000 in assets in 1922. 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. 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. 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. His father was Frank Herndon, the white farmer to whose Social Circle, Georgia land Sophenie was restricted. t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];
} His insurance business reported more than $400,000 in assets in 1922. Total Assets: $256.89 billion (2001) In 1913, he signed a partnership agreement with a Kentucky firm, Standard Life. . Telephone: (908) 903-2000 His holdings eventually came to include more than 100 residential and commercial properties. }
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And commercial properties. residential and commercial properties. in assets in 1922 and powerful later, he was to. 1878, at the time Encyclopedia, 20 September 2004, https //www.nps.gov/nr/travel/atlanta/her.htm. Alonzo 's heritage Atlanta, and as his personal fortune grew, he to... 1858, to Sophenie Herndon, the firm prospered in 1883, hoping to expand his opportunities }! His father was Frank Herndon, the white farmer to whose Social Circle Georgia! Companies, Atlanta 5 facts about alonzo herndon do you think the Herndon home, was the residence of Alonzo Herndon success! Herndon supplemented the family income by working as day laborer and peddler of peanuts, homemade molasses, and the... Contributed to Herndons amazing success his personal fortune grew, Herndon left family! His personal fortune grew, Herndon entered the field of Insurance Colored People Sophenie Herndon, Franklin.
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