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. } Holla:CJ@AtlantaFi.com. In 1915, he ventured into Alabama, and the acquired another Georgia insurance company, Union Mutual, the largest black-owned insurer in the state. . In 1878, Herndon left Social Circle on foot with eleven dollars in savings and approximately one year of formal schooling. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. The family entered freedom in destitution. Herndon married Adrienne McNeil in 1893, a professor at Atlanta University, one of the many institutions he supported. African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/alonzo-herndon-1858-1927, https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/atlanta/her.htm, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. no architect drew the plan. Eventually he acquired more than 100 houses, a large block of commercial property on Auburn Avenue, and a large estate in Tavares, Florida. Herndon was born into slavery as Alonzo Franklin Herndon on June 26, 1858. Despite his beginnings as a slave, through hard work and determination Alonzo was able to make his own success. Alonzo is originated from United States. 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. Alonzo Herndon Stadium, home to Atlanta Beat, Georgia Mustangs - Football Ground Map Football Ground Map Home Buy Rob a Pint CHEERS! Herndon said he did this to support and empower Black businesses and their workers. American executive Alonzo Franklin Herndon (1858-1927) founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, one of the leading insurers in the American South. 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. His holdings eventually encompassed extensive real estate, and one of the nation's largest black-owned businesses and most successful insurance companies, Atlanta Life. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. The article emphasizes his competence and success as a businessman. It is one of a few structures associated with Herndon in Atlanta and the success he brought to the city. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 15 Rare Black History Facts Youve Never Heard. He began by buying a failing mutual aid association in 1905, when the state of Georgia increased capital requirements for such businesses. 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. line-height:48px; Herndon was born on June 26, 1858 in Walton County, Georgia to Frank Herndon, a white farmer, and Sophenie, his slave. 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. 1858-1927 Alonzo Herndon parlayed success as a barber and as the owner of upscale barbershops into a business empire. Herndon set out to make the Atlanta Benevolent and Protective Association into a leading provider of life insurance for African Americans in the South. His shop at 66 Peachtree Street, outfitted with crystal chandeliers and gold fixtures, was advertised as the largest and best barbershop in the region. Alonzo Herndon. 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. } } Retrieved Jul 14, 2020, from https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/alonzo-herndon-1858-1927/. After Adrienne died in 1910, Herndon married Jessie Gillespie of Chicago. 3. Now he was a great deal businessman. In 1905, his property holdings were valued at nearly $325,000. Atlanta Life's business thrived, and they expanded their business into Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. Only a year later, he was invited to move his premises to one of the citys fanciest hotels, Markham House. "There was a growing market of White men in post-Emancipation Atlanta who were accustomed to service by Blacks," noted Merritt. 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. alonzo herndon in 1905 herndon bought a failing color:; 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. color:#dd9933; } } .magazine-single-box .header-style-one .header #main-menu-wrapper{ Eventually he established Atlanta Life, an insurance company. Today the home is registered as a National Historic Place. Born into slavery, he belonged to the first generation of successful African American entrepreneurs of the early twentieth century. ." BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. 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 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. [1], Through his enterprises, Herndon became Atlanta's first black millionaire. 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. font-size:14px; Opened in 1902, it was fitted with opulent furnishings, 25 luxury hair-cutting stations, and several private rooms with bathtubs and showers. margin: ; never acknowledged paternity. 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. } .flex-slider li .caption-content a{color:#fff;} Total Assets: $256.89 billion (2001) By 1904, Herndon owned three barber shops in Atlanta, advertising one of them as the largest and best barbershop in the region. It also was in 1905 that Herndon made the significant decision to enter the world of insurance finance, and purchased the struggling Atlanta Benevolent and Protective Association, which had been founded by a local African American pastor. } Alonzo Herndon was born on the 26th of June, 1858. His barbering business thrived, and he expanded it over the years. Read more Reading age 8 - 10 years Print length 28 pages Language English Grade level 3 - 4 Dimensions Facts about Alonzo Herndon 2: fame As I have stated before, he was famous after establishing the Atlanta Life Insurance. When W. E. B. Alonzo Herndon, a former slave born in 1858 in Social Circle, sought to better himself and ultimately became Atlanta's first African-American millionaire. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. A noted philanthropist, Herndon used his considerable wealth to support schools and church organizations in and around and Atlanta. background:#494bbc; 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. Completed in 1910, the Herndon Home, was the residence of Alonzo Herndon and his family. Herndon died in Atlanta on July 21, 1927 at the age of 69. .simplesocialbuttons.simplesocialbuttons_inline.simplesocial-simple-round button{ } 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. [citation needed]. Why do you think the Herndon home displayed windows of Alonzo's heritage? Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19192-1550 abides by its mission to advance the Herndon legacy through education, mentoring, and preparing the next generation of entrepreneurs. } The house's design was attributed to her in a published eulogy by AU president Ware who said, ". } Facts about Elias Howe make us talk about the American inventor. Featured Content. Do you know that he was born into slavery? Norris also gave the land on which Atlanta University's Herndon Stadium was built in 1948, and donated heavily to civil-rights causes in the 1960s. 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. } .woocommerce-product-gallery{ opacity: 1 !important; } border: 1px solid #f4c85e; 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. Emancipated at seven years old in 1865, his family worked as sharecroppers in rural Georgia near Social Circle, some 45 miles east of Atlanta. into a half dozen new states, including Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. He was one of 25 people enslaved by his father, who never acknowledged paternity of him. Carole Merritt, The Herndons: An Atlanta Family (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2002). Today, part of Herndons legacy can be found in the Herndon Foundation, which. Economic Dignity (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1990); Carole After being emancipated, his family found a job in sharecropper in Social Circle, Georgia. After some years, Herndon decided to get in on the insurance business. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. .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{ Alonzo Herndon is a famous Entrepreneur. Before long, he took up barbering and mens grooming, which afforded freed blacks a level of eliteness in a white world. header,.page header{ 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. With his savings replenished, he moved to Atlanta in 1883, hoping to expand his opportunities. One of Herndons most lasting contributions includes his role in establishing the United Negro College Fund. Alonzo Herndon was born in Social Circle, GA in 1858 to a white master and slave, and at the end of the Civil War, he was sent away with his mother, brother, and grandparents. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. He passed away on 21 July 1927. Alonzo Franklin Herndon was an African American entrepreneur who founded and was the first president of Atlanta Life Insurance Company. He was a member of W.E.B. Nia Long Sparks Consent Debate Over 30-Year-Old Boyfriend As A Teen, INTERVIEW: Pastor Deitrick Haddon Responds To Christian Outrage Aimed At Beyonc And 'Satanic' GRAMMYs, Twitter Clowns Lori Harvey & Damson Idris Red Carpet Debut, Black Love: 12 Sexy Black Celebrity Couples, Amanda Seales Show 'LL Cool J Better Call Maury' | EPISODE 56, Black Driver Shot By Police While Sleeping In Grandmas Driveway, Bodycam Video Shows, Ben Stein Misses Aunt Jemima, The Large African American Woman Making Pancakes, Twitters Outraged, Will Smith Is Finally Making Jokes About Slapping Chris Rock, Twitter Salutes. Present this to the class. Henderson, Alexa. } In 1910 Alonzo and Jessie Herndon built the Herndon Home which at the time was one of the largest mansions in Atlanta. border-left: 3px solid #f4c85e; .footer-wrapper td{ (2004). Alonzo Herndon has been a part of the Entrepreneur list. In the next quarter-century, his business empire grew to include three barbershops, which catered to some of the richest white clientele in Atlanta. [1] Pub, Turner, Henry McNeal 18341915 In 1905, Herndon bought the business, then named the Atlanta Benevolent and Protective Association, and renamed it the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. background:rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.95); background:#f4c85e; 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. 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. 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. font-size:14px; Husband of Jane Gaston. In 1883 Herndon migrated to Atlanta, Georgia to continue in the barbering business in the largest city in the state. Subscribe to ournews alerts here, follow uson Twitterand like us onFacebook. 1890. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. He decided to leave his Social Circle in 1878. [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. Public Co, 15 Mountain View Road, P.O. In 1920, the Atlanta Life building, built at 148 Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, came to symbolize the very best of black Atlanta as well as black excellence in the United States. , 2020, from https: //www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/alonzo-herndon-1858-1927/ to one of 25 people enslaved by his father who... 1878, Herndon married Adrienne McNeil in 1893, a professor at Atlanta University, of! 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