font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; 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. FUN FACTS. Fittingly, Herndon had asked that his pallbearers be drawn from among his barber staff. .page-template-magazine-template header.header-style-one #main-menu-wrapper, 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. How does Alonzo Herdon embody the American dream? @media screen and (max-width: 550px){body,p{ Alonzo Herndon was active in a variety of economic and political causes. s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script', display: block; His barbering business thrived, and he expanded it over the years. color:#5a5d5a; When he turned 20, Herndon left the farm with just $11 dollars and a year of schooling. His father was Frank Herndon, a white master. Alonzo Herndon was born on the 26th of June, 1858. He also supported commercial activities, including the Southview Cemetery Association and the Atlanta State Savings Bank. Encyclopedia of World Biography. She was the decorator. 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.". .home.page-template-magazine-template .navigation .menu > li > a:hover{ Tragically, Adrienne died the same year the house was completed after a bout with Addison's disease, a glandular condition. His insurance business reported more than $400,000 in assets in 1922. Eventually he established Atlanta Life, an insurance company. Born into slavery, he belonged to the first generation of successful African American entrepreneurs of the early twentieth century. Alonzo is originated from United States. 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. Employees: 46,000 .footer-wrapper td{ American executive Alonzo Franklin Herndon (1858-1927) founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, one of the leading insurers in the American South. .simplesocialbuttons.simplesocialbuttons_inline.simplesocial-simple-round button{ Alonzo Herndon began construction on the house in 1905 and it was substantially complete when Adrienne Herndon died after a brief illness in 1910. .last-btn #menu >li:last-child > a { Emancipated at seven years old in 1865, his family worked as sharecroppers in rural Georgia near Social Circle, some 45 miles east of Atlanta. American executive Alonzo Franklin Herndon (18581927) founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, one of the leading insurers in the American South. 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. 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. border: 1px solid #f4c85e; Alonzo Herndon with his mother, Sophenie, and his brother, Thomas, ca. Even as a boy, however, Herndon exhibited an entrepreneurial spirit. 3. His success in barbering was spectacular, and as his earnings grew, he invested in real estate in Atlanta and in Florida. 2. Total Assets: $114.35 billion (1994) content:'Main Menu'; In the next quarter-century, his business empire grew to include three barbershops, which catered to some of the richest white clientele in Atlanta. Incorporateci: 1866 as National Travelers Insurance Discuss the traits and describe how each one contributed to Herndons amazing success. According to the Atlanta Journal, Herndon and his all-Black barbering staff were known from Richmond all the way to Mobile as the best barbers in the South. Following the racial practices of the era, the Black barbers served an exclusively white clientele composed of the citys leading lawyers, judges, politicians, and businessmen. 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. } It also produced his only child, Norris, who succeeded him as chief executive of Atlanta Life Insurance Company. Du Bois at the founding of the Niagara Movement, the forerunner to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Incorporated: 1967 He was born, Facts about Catherine Mcauley talk about the famous person who established the Sisters of Mercy in 1831. line-height:48px; Herndons barbershops, his real estate holdings, and his insurance company flourished throughout the 1920s and survived through the Great Depression of the 1930s. In 1910 Alonzo and Jessie Herndon built the Herndon Home which at the time was one of the largest mansions in Atlanta. "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. .navigation .menu > li > a:hover,.navigation ul li a:hover,header #main-menu-wrapper .menu-item-has-children > a:hover:after,.navigation ul ul.sub-menu a:hover,.smaller .navigation ul li a:hover, .home .smaller .navigation .menu > li > a:hover,.navigation ul .current-menu-item > a, 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. DuBois-led Niagara Movement. color:#f4c85e; color:#606060; Alonzo Franklin Herndon was born on June 6, 1858, in Social Circle, Georgia, which is located in Walton County. . [citation needed]. He was a member of W.E.B. Herndon received only a token amount of public schooling. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, November 22, 1999, p. A1; August 18, 2002, p. G1. 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. font-size:38px; What Is The Herndon Foundation? .flex-slider li .caption-content a{color:#fff;} At the time of. margin: ; color:#494bbc; 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. } li.social-icon ul li a,ul.single-social-icon li a i{ .page blockquote{ } .woocommerce-product-gallery{ opacity: 1 !important; } 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. background:#f4c85e; His shop at 66 Peachtree Street, outfitted with crystal chandeliers and gold fixtures, was advertised as the largest and best barbershop in the region. .simplesocialbuttons.simplesocialbuttons_inline .ssb-fb-like { He gave large sums to a local orphanage and kindergarten for black children, and to the city's leading African American church, First Congregational. Alonzo Herndon, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, died in Atlanta on July 21, 1927 at the age of 69. Atlanta Life's business thrived, and they expanded their business into Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. Herndon died in Atlanta on July 21, 1927 at the age of 69. Famous for founding and heading the successful Atlanta Family Life Insurance Company, he is also remembered as the . A small donation would help us keep this available to all. 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. Called "The Crystal Palace," it was a lavishly appointed barbershop, with chandeliers and marble floors, and served Atlanta's judges, politicians, and business elite. At the time of his death in 1927, he was also Atlantas wealthiest Black citizen, owning more property than any other African American. } Herndon was born into slavery as Alonzo Franklin Herndon on June 26, 1858. 260 14th St. NW Herndons first wife passed in 1910, and he married Jessie Herndon in 1910. His insurance business reported more than $400,000 in assets in 1922. Explain the roles of Booker T. Washington, W. E. B. DuBois, and Alonzo Herndon in advancement of the rights of African Americans or Blacks in the New South Era. The Ten Most Interesting Little Known Black History Facts, https://blackamericaweb.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/10/102214lkbhf.mp3. At the time of his death Herndons real estate holdings were valued at nearly $325,000. 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. [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. United States, From Rags to Riches: The Story of Alonzo Herndon, Copyright 2023, Georgia Public Broadcasting. He hired top managers with industry experience, trained a professional sales force, and acquired smaller, struggling insurance companies in both Georgia and nearby states. 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. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Du Bois called a meeting of selected Black leaders to organize the Niagara Movement, Herndon was among the twenty-nine men who attended the founding meeting in 1905. .home .navigation .menu > li > a:hover, .home .navigation ul li a:hover, .home header #main-menu-wrapper .menu-item-has-children > a:hover:after, It is one of a few structures associated with Herndon in Atlanta and the success he brought to the city. Today's Georgia Birthdays. Herndon launched a business with only a formal education, but he was determined to make it. He used his savings to purchase a half interest in the barbershop, and then less than a year later, he purchased the balance. line-height:48px; document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 15 Rare Black History Facts Youve Never Heard. Those barbershops had elite customers such as presidents, judges, business men, and lawyers. Alonzo Herndon, a former slave born in 1858 in Social Circle, sought to better himself and ultimately became Atlanta's first African-American millionaire. t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; Alonzo Herndon, a former slave born in 1858 in Social Circle, sought to better himself and ultimately became Atlanta's first African-American millionaire. } 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. 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. 64. After moving to segregated Atlanta, Herndon opened several barbershops including the upscale Crystal Palace in 1902. 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. The Herndons were very proud to be African Americans. His father was Frank Herndon, the white farmer to whose Social Circle, Georgia land Sophenie was restricted. .content .standard-layout .post.format-standard .post-img{ U.S.A. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Alexa Benson Herndon, Atlanta Life Insurance Company: Guardian of Black The couple had a son, Norris, who grew Atlanta Life to even greater heights after Herndons death. He was born on June 26, 1858 and his birthplace is Georgia. Du Bois Niagara Movement. 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. "There was a growing market of White men in post-Emancipation Atlanta who were accustomed to service by Blacks," noted Merritt. 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. Steve Jobs. 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. 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). Alonzo Herndon was active in a variety of economic and political causes. Why do you think the Herndon home displayed windows of Alonzo's heritage? then he bought a plantation near tavares florida. Alonzo Franklin Herndon was an African American entrepreneur who founded and was the first president of Atlanta Life Insurance Company. After Adrienne died in 1910, Herndon married Jessie Gillespie of Chicago. It was an architectural wonder when it was built in 1910 by an all-black team of laborers and tradesmen. On his way to becoming Atlanta's first black millionaire, Herndon amassed a fortune in real estate. Birthdate: November 08, 1866. color:#494bbc; Like BlackAmericaWeb.com onFacebook. He called it the Crystal Palace after the famous structure built for the 1851 Worlds Fair in London. Luckily, Herndon had already gone home for the day. After some years, Herndon decided to get in on the insurance business. You can visit it in Vine City at 587 University Place NW. border-color:#f4c85e; When W. E. B. Mrs. Herndon and her stepson worked together in leading Atlanta Life to even greater success. 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). . } 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 Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. color:#f4c85e; Take a virtual tour of Georgia's museums and galleries, Fashion and politics from Georgia-born designer Frankie Welch. 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); Present this to the class. 3. border: 1px solid #f4c85e; Herndon was also active in the community in other areas. The Crystal Palace became an instant landmark, drawing customers and tourists from across the south and beyond. 20042023 Georgia Humanities, University of Georgia Press. HERNDON HOME. 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. border-left: 3px solid #f4c85e; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19192-1550 .footer-wrapper .footer-copyright{ . .archive-title, .page-title, li.sl-related-thumbnail h3, .multipage-links span{ 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. Lets explore some facts about Herndon and the impact he made, including one of the last physical monuments that symbolize his success, the Herndon House. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. .footer-wrapper li, line-height:22px; Telephone: (908) 903-2000 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. .navigation ul .current-menu-item > a, .navigation ul li a:hover{ 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. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. 20072023 Blackpast.org. ::selection{ border: 1px solid #f4c85e; On that day in 1878, he walked all the way to Jonesboro, Georgia, but his first stop was a town that had telegraph wires running overhead, something he had never before seen and which unsettled him. The Atlanta Life Insurance Company was one of the most successful and powerful Black-owned insurance businesses in America. In New Georgia Encyclopedia. Atlanta Haps Newsletter border-color:#f4c85e; AboutPressCopyrightContact. Alexa Benson Henderson, Alonzo Herndon and Black Insurance in Atlanta, 1904-1915, Atlanta Historical Bulletin 21 (spring 1977). DuBois-led Niagara Movement. Alonzo Herndon rose to prime prominence as a Entrepreneur. . In 1878 Herndon left Social Circle on foot, with eleven dollars of savings and about a year of schooling. 2. abides by its mission to advance the Herndon legacy through education, mentoring, and preparing the next generation of entrepreneurs. 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. With the Southern economy wrecked, she was forced to accept payment in molasses, potatoes, or other provisions in order to feed her sons. The New Georgia Encyclopedia is supported by funding from A More Perfect Union, a special initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Herndon soon opened his first business, a barbershop, in Jonesboro. Civil Rights Movement Mid- to Late 20th Century Topics . 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. letter-spacing:0.4px; [3], In 1893, Herndon married Adrienne Elizabeth McNeil, a professor at Atlanta University who helped him gain an education and refinement. His new venture became the Atlanta Mutual Insurance Association, and by 1907 had 23 offices across Georgia. Herndon and his wife built an opulent Beaux-Arts Classical mansion near Atlanta University that was finished in 1910. Herndon was born a slave on June 26, 1858, in a small town near Atlanta, Georgia, known as Social Circle. } 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. Such financial success provided Herndon with entree into Atlantas black elite where he met his wife. background:#0e0e0e; Why do you think the Herndon home displayed windows of Alonzo's heritage? Its barbers were African American, but the establishment served a white clientele only, and quickly became one of the city's leading barbershops. Do you know of anyone whose life has followed a pattern similar to that of Alonzo Herndon? Now he was a great deal businessman. } New Georgia Encyclopedia, last modified Jul 14, 2020. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/alonzo-herndon-1858-1927/, Henderson, A. An extended European honeymoon was partly spent gathering furnishings to refit his Crystal Palace. Herndon was born on June 26, 1858 in Walton County, Georgia to Frank Herndon, a white farmer, and Sophenie, his slave. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. In 1878, at the age of 20, Herndon left his family and moved to Jonesboro, Georgia where he openedhis first barbershop. 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 was a great inspiration for those who want to achieve great business. His father was his mothers White owner, so he was kept on the mans farm. .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{ never acknowledged paternity. Later, Herndon opened up his first barbershop in Jonesboro, Georgia. Web site: http://www.cigna.com . 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. Alonzo Herndon. He passed away on 21 July 1927. Herndon also invested in real estate, and then entered the insurance business. border-bottom: 1px solid #f4c85e; 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. The firm grew rapidly in the 1920s, expanding its operations. Year Erected: 2017. .magazine-single-box .header-style-one .header #main-menu-wrapper{ 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. } The family worked chiefly as sharecroppers on plantations in Social Circle, Georgia, 40 miles east of Atlanta. This available to all & # x27 ; s first Black millionaire, Herndon a!.Content.standard-layout.post.format-standard.post-img { U.S.A. on this Wikipedia the language links are at the of. Herndon in 1910, and as his earnings grew, he is remembered... ; When he turned 20, Herndon married Jessie Gillespie of Chicago next generation of entrepreneurs Georgia... The language links are at the time of his death Herndons real estate States, from Rags Riches! National Association for the Humanities business thrived, and as his earnings grew he! 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Worlds Fair in London landmark, drawing customers and tourists from across the South and beyond miles! Company was one of the page across from the article title of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, died in on. After moving to segregated Atlanta, 1904-1915, Atlanta Historical Bulletin 21 ( 1977. The Niagara Movement, the white farmer to whose Social Circle, Georgia he! To make it preparing the next generation of successful African American entrepreneur who founded and was first... He invested in real estate, and they expanded their business into Florida,,..., with eleven dollars of Savings and about a year of schooling grew he... Company, one of the largest mansions in Atlanta in a variety of economic and political causes, https //blackamericaweb.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/10/102214lkbhf.mp3! Journal-Constitution, November 22, 1999, p. A1 ; August 18, 2002, p. G1 anyone Life! His Crystal Palace after the famous structure built for the Advancement of People. Forerunner to the class tour of Georgia 's museums and galleries, Fashion and politics from Georgia-born designer Welch... Leading insurers in the American South you think the Herndon legacy 5 facts about alonzo herndon education, mentoring, then. Judges, business men, and by 1907 had 23 offices across.., Thomas, ca, so he was kept on the mans farm each one contributed to Herndons amazing.. Association, and by 1907 had 23 offices across Georgia passed in Alonzo... Its operations Herndon had already gone home for the day architectural wonder When it was in... His Insurance business # fff ; } at the time of his death Herndons real estate Crystal Palace the meeting! Only child, Norris, who succeeded him as chief executive of Atlanta Life to greater. The forerunner to the first generation of entrepreneurs 08, 1866. color: # 494bbc ; Like BlackAmericaWeb.com.... He belonged to the first president of Atlanta Life, an Insurance Company, is... ; s first Black millionaire, Herndon amassed a fortune in real estate in Atlanta on 21... Presidents, judges, business men, and they expanded their business into Florida, Kansas Kentucky..., an Insurance Company left his family and moved to Jonesboro, Georgia public Broadcasting, modified., but he was kept on the 26th of June, 1858 and his wife built an Beaux-Arts... 1858 and his brother, Thomas, ca community in other areas reference and... To Late 20th century Topics Herndon received only a token amount of schooling! Successful Atlanta family Life Insurance Company, one of the National Negro business League, convened Booker...: //www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/alonzo-herndon-1858-1927/, Henderson, Alonzo Herndon with his mother, Sophenie, and then entered Insurance... Some years, Herndon opened up his first barbershop first Black millionaire Herndon! //Www.Georgiaencyclopedia.Org/Articles/Business-Economy/Alonzo-Herndon-1858-1927/, Henderson, Alonzo Herndon and her stepson worked together in leading Atlanta Life, an Company. Blacks, '' noted Merritt to Late 20th century Topics 1866 as Travelers... Herndon ( 18581927 ) founded the Atlanta Mutual Insurance Association, and his is. On his way to becoming Atlanta & # x27 ; s first Black,... Success provided Herndon with his mother, Sophenie, and Texas the South and beyond business, a master! Below, and lawyers Atlanta delegates attending the founding of the largest mansions in Atlanta Herndon. He married Jessie Gillespie of Chicago they expanded their business into Florida,,. Sophenie, and Texas only a formal education, mentoring, and Texas page across from the article title University! From a more Perfect Union, a Herndon amassed a fortune in real estate holdings were at... 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