5 facts about alonzo herndon02 Apr 5 facts about alonzo herndon
(2004). 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. 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. Box 1615 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. American executive Alonzo Franklin Herndon (1858-1927) founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, one of the leading insurers in the American South. Alonzo Herndon embodied the American Dream while leading the way for financial freedom for African Americans.With lively illustrations, The Story of Alonzo Herndon introduces Alonzo Herndon to young readers and inspires them to achieve greatness. .loader { Herndon received only a token amount of public schooling. Herndon was born into slavery and eventually became the city's first Black millionaire in the course of his lifetime. Total Assets: $114.35 billion (1994) It was an architectural wonder when it was built in 1910 by an all-black team of laborers and tradesmen. He was the son of his white enslaver, Frank Herndon, and an enslaved woman, Sophenie. Economic Dignity (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1990); Carole Encyclopedia of World Biography. 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. In 1905, Herndon purchased a failing mutual aid association . On his way to becoming Atlantas first black millionaire, Herndon amassed a fortune in real estate. born into slavery, alonzo herndon would go on to build a company that is still around today. 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. color:#f4c85e; In 1905 he purchased a failing mutual aid association, which he incorporated as the Atlanta Mutual Insurance Association. } William Dougherty Hutchins had been a free black before the war, and his shop was a busy one. Upcoming Entrepreneur birthdays. Mrs. Herndon and her stepson worked together in leading Atlanta Life to even greater success. fbq('track', 'PageView'); font-size:14px; In 1905, his property holdings were valued at nearly $325,000. Historian Marcellus Barksdale describes the Crystal Palace as fitting its name. } color:#ddd; Georgias rise from the ashes of civil war sparked a debate about development and the future of the state. The job opened the door to his future. 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. 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). Herndon died in Atlanta on July 21, 1927, a few weeks after his sixty-ninth birthday. #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{ 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. margin: ; 1890. Emancipated at the end of the Civil War (1861-65), he was sent away from his birthplace by his father. See whats poppin in the ATL! if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; With the Southern economy wrecked, she was forced to accept payment in molasses, potatoes, or other provisions in order to feed her sons. Du Bois at the founding of the Niagara Movement, the forerunner to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. His home was included in National Historic Landmark in United States in 2000. letter-spacing:0.7px; } Alonzo Herndon rose to prime prominence as a Entrepreneur. Do you know of anyone whose life has followed a pattern similar to that of Alonzo Herndon? In addition to serving as a role model and inspiration to generations of African American entrepreneurs, Herndon left a significant family legacy. His full name is Alonzo Franklin Herndon. Year Erected: 2017. 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. color:#606060; } 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. 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. Norris B. Herndon, his son also contributed a lot to the company since he made it into a multimillion dollar company. He took over a company which had $5,000 in assets in 1905. At that time, he was 7 years old. He went to Jonesboro, Clayton County on foot. He used his savings to purchase a half interest in the barbershop, and then less than a year later, he purchased the balance. .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{ 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. 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. background:rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.95); Herndon's relatively rapid rise as one of Atlanta's rising young African American business leaders was cemented in 1893 when he married Adrienne McNeil, of Augusta, Georgia. color:#494bbc!important; Alonzo is also well known as, Famous for founding and heading the successful Atlanta Family Life Insurance Company, he is also remembered as the city of Atlanta's first African-American millionaire. 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. Arriving in early 1883, he secured employment as a barber in a shop on Marietta Street owned by William Dougherty Hutchins, an African American. value: 100, Opened in 1902, it was fitted with opulent furnishings, 25 luxury hair-cutting stations, and several private rooms with bathtubs and showers. } In 1905 he used his proceeds to purchase a failing insurance business in the city, naming it the Atlanta Mutual Insurance Association. The Crystal Palace became an instant landmark, drawing customers and tourists from across the south and beyond. The Herndon family home was eventually turned into a museum, and was placed on the National Historic Landmark Register in 2000. ." Pub, Turner, Henry McNeal 18341915 The Herndons were very proud to be African Americans. 2. 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. line-height:22px; )- (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. The New Georgia Encyclopedia is supported by funding from A More Perfect Union, a special initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities. } He also supported commercial activities, including the Southview Cemetery Association and the Atlanta State Savings Bank. How does Alonzo Herndon embody the American dream? } Herndon didnt stop there; he continued to buy companies throughout the South, gobbling them until Atlanta Life became the largest insurance company owned and operated by African American in the nation. 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. How does Alonzo Herdon embody the American dream? HERNDON HOME. At a very young age he worked as a laborer and peddler, helping his family to eke out a living in the harsh rural area. Born into slavery, he belonged to the first generation of successful African American entrepreneurs of the early twentieth century. /*inline margin*/ With his savings replenished, he moved to Atlanta in 1883, hoping to expand his opportunities. Public Co, 15 Mountain View Road, P.O. AtlantaFi, Alonzo Herndon: 8 Things To Know About The Atlanta Business Pioneer. [1], Through his enterprises, Herndon became Atlanta's first black millionaire. She was sent adrift in the world with her two children and a corded bed and [a] few quilts. Steve Jobs. As I have stated before, he was famous after establishing the Atlanta Life Insurance. All Rights Reserved. Herndon was born into slavery as Alonzo Franklin Herndon on June 26, 1858. } Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. 1858-1927 Alonzo Herndon parlayed success as a barber and as the owner of upscale barbershops into a business empire. Herndon quickly found employment in one of the citys most important black- owned barbershops, and just as quickly, developed a loyal clientele among the members of Atlantas white elite who patronized the establishment. His clientele included Atlantas leading lawyers, judges, politicians, and businessmen. Even as a boy, however, Herndon exhibited an entrepreneurial spirit. In 1915, he ventured into Alabama, and the acquired another Georgia insurance company, Union Mutual, the largest black-owned insurer in the state. background: #f4c85e; Herndon supplemented the family income by working as day laborer and peddler of peanuts, homemade molasses, and axle grease. An extended European honeymoon was partly spent gathering furnishings to refit his Crystal Palace. His insurance company was very successful since it was operated in some states in US such as Texas, Kansas, Florida, Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky. If so, interview or read about that persons life and write it in your own words, create a Powerpoint presentation about that person or create a video presentation. . He was considered. As his business blossomed, so did his clientele and influence around the city. Herndons barbershops, his real estate holdings, and his insurance company flourished throughout the 1920s and survived through the Great Depression of the 1930s. Black barbers who owned a shop across the street from Herndons barbershop were killed by the angry mob. Your support helps us commission new entries and update existing content. border-left: 3px solid #f4c85e; Clergyman, activist, author Your donation is fully tax-deductible. Telephone: (215) 761-1000 After Adrienne died in 1910, Herndon married Jessie Gillespie of Chicago. background:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.18);} The house's design was attributed to her in a published eulogy by AU president Ware who said, ". [3], In 1893, Herndon married Adrienne Elizabeth McNeil, a professor at Atlanta University who helped him gain an education and refinement. Herndons business thrived. In 1905, he purchased a small mutual aid association that eventually became the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. Herndon was also active in the community in other areas. background:#f4c85e; Alonzo Herndon made his fortune as an entrepreneur--someone who created and ran his own business. Herndon died in 1927, at 69. He also put aside a small portion as savings, which he earmarked for the purpose of leaving Social Circle as soon as possible to improve his economic and social condition. Eventually he acquired more than 100 houses, a large block of commercial property on Auburn Avenue, and a large estate in Tavares, Florida. Henry McNeal Turner was for many years the leading advocate of black migration to Africa a, Public Company Guided in part by advice and information he picked up from his wealthy, influential clientele, Herndon invested the majority of his profits in real estate. Father of Larry Herndon; Roy V Herndon and Ora Herndon. 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. font-size:38px; DuBois-led Niagara Movement. } .woocommerce-product-gallery{ opacity: 1 !important; } Much of the Herndon mansions design has been attributed to the taste and aspirations of the Adrienne Herndons wife Adrienne, who envisioned the rooftop terrace as a performance venue. Later, Herndon opened up his first barbershop in Jonesboro, Georgia. They were homeless and living in poverty. The field hockey venue used during 1996 Summer Olympics located at Morris Brown College was named Herndon Stadium. The family worked chiefly as sharecroppers on plantations in Social Circle, Georgia, 40 miles east of Atlanta. The company built respect in the financial communityand acquired more customersby buying out a series of shaky competitors. A second restructuring in 1922 gave the company, by now operating in several Southern states, the name "Atlanta Life.". Despite his beginnings as a slave, through hard work and determination Alonzo was able to make his own success. .social-icon i.fa:hover{ Alonzo Franklin Herndon was born on June 6, 1858, in Social Circle, Georgia, which is located in Walton County. Herndons barbering business expanded, and by 1904 he owned three shops in Atlanta. ." 20042023 Georgia Humanities, University of Georgia Press. abides by its mission to advance the Herndon legacy through education, mentoring, and preparing the next generation of entrepreneurs. Company since he made it into a museum, and preparing the next generation of successful African American entrepreneurs Herndon! The National association for the Advancement of Colored People became the Atlanta Life even! The company, by now operating in several Southern states, the name Atlanta. Entries and update existing content second restructuring in 1922 gave the company since he made it into a museum and! 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