@media screen and (max-width: 550px){body,p{ .footer-wrapper .footer-copyright{ 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. content:'Main Menu'; .post_pagi a i:hover{ Herndon soon opened his first business, a barbershop, in Jonesboro. } if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; Historian Marcellus Barksdale describes the Crystal Palace as fitting its name. Encyclopedia.com. Before long, he took up barbering and mens grooming, which afforded freed blacks a level of eliteness in a white world. Henry McNeal Turner was for many years the leading advocate of black migration to Africa a, Public Company In 1882, he moved to Atlanta, and found a post with a highly regarded local barber. 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). 3. 23 Feb. 2023 . Retrieved Jul 14, 2020, from https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/alonzo-herndon-1858-1927/. } His mother was Sophenie, an enslaved woman. With the Southern economy wrecked, she was forced to accept payment in molasses, potatoes, or other provisions in order to feed her sons. Encyclopedia of World Biography. 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. Their son, Norris Bumstead Herndon, was born in July of 1897, and Adrienne made her stage debut in Boston seven years later using the name Anne Du Bignon. Facts about Elias Howe make us talk about the American inventor. He went to Jonesboro, Clayton County on foot. The Herndons were very proud to be African Americans. 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. James Oglethorpe Colonial Figures. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Are you interested reading facts about Alonzo Herndon? He also supported commercial activities, including the Southview Cemetery Association and the Atlanta State Savings Bank. Brother of Melissa Herndon; Delilah Herndon; Joan Herndon and Nellie Herndon. His barbering business thrived, and he expanded it over the years. 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. At one point, Herndon was the wealthiest African-American in Atlanta. Atlanta, GA 30318 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. Only a year later, he was invited to move his premises to one of the citys fanciest hotels, Markham House. Du Bois Niagara Movement. Norris B. Herndon, his son also contributed a lot to the company since he made it into a multimillion dollar company. Why do you think the Herndon home displayed windows of Alonzo's heritage? Holla:[email protected]. Born into slavery, he belonged to the first generation of successful African American entrepreneurs of the early twentieth century. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); List choice his personal fortune grew, Herndon entered the field of insurance. The legacy of Alonzo Herndon (b. His insurance business reported more than $400,000 in assets in 1922. Herndon worked on his fathers plantation near Social Circle, Georgia. s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script', background:rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.95); Within two years her widower had remarried a Milwaukee, Wisconsin woman, Jessie Gillespie, whose family had a successful hair business in Chicago. t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; He was a member of W.E.B. Steve Jobs. li.mega-sub-item> ul.sub-menu >li >a:hover, li.mega-sub-item> ul.sub-menu >li >a:focus, The shop was a success, but Herndon was pulled to Atlanta and he struck gold there. On his way to becoming Atlantas first black millionaire, Herndon amassed a fortune in real estate. Herndons prominence and influence were enhanced by his family life. Husband of Jane Gaston. 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. .widget .search-submit, .th_more_posts a#more_posts, .slider-post-content .read-more-slider a:hover, .widget .search-submit, .search .search-submit, #commentform #commentSubmit, ul.paging li a{ He gave large sums to a local orphanage and kindergarten for black children, and to the city's leading African American church, First Congregational. Completed in 1910, the Herndon Home, was the residence of Alonzo Herndon and his family. He incorporated it as the Atlanta Mutual Insurance Association. 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. li.social-icon ul li a,ul.single-social-icon li a i{ He also owned a hundred or so residential rental properties in the city. font-size:38px; Notify me of follow-up comments by email. "Alonzo Herndon." 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. .footer-wrapper li, As one of the South's leading black business leaders, Herndon was friendly with both Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. ." .read-more.read-more-slider a:hover{ His father was Frank Herndon, the white farmer to whose Social Circle, Georgia land Sophenie was restricted. All Rights Reserved. [3], In 1893, Herndon married Adrienne Elizabeth McNeil, a professor at Atlanta University who helped him gain an education and refinement. Herndon and the prominent writer and abolitionist Frederick Douglass both spent their early years in slavery. 1858-1927 Alonzo Herndon parlayed success as a barber and as the owner of upscale barbershops into a business empire. Discuss the traits and describe how each one contributed to Herndons amazing success. Include how this persons life has affected your life. In mourning, he threw himself into managing his new business. 1890. He used his savings to purchase a half interest in the barbershop, and then less than a year later, he purchased the balance. Alonzo Herndon. color:#494bbc!important; a:hover{ U.S.A. Five years later he was one of the original members of the W.E.B. 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. Because he possessed financial capital, Herndon was approached by two local ministers who asked him to help save their fledgling insurance company, the Atlanta Benevolent and Protective Association. . It was an architectural wonder when it was built in 1910 by an all-black team of laborers and tradesmen. background:#111; border: 1px solid #f4c85e; } Herndon died at home in Atlanta on July 21, 1927, at the age of 69. His son Norris attended Atlanta University and Harvard Business School before entering his father's company full time. 1. FUN FACTS. Atlanta Haps Newsletter color:#f4c85e; line-height:22px; 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. color:#5a5d5a; font-size:38px; Merged with two other firms and renamed the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, the firm prospered. #main-menu-wrapper nav .mega .thunk-widget-menu a:hover,#menu .mega-menu-posts a:hover, 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. Find ou another businessman in Alberto Alessi facts. Herndons mother, Sophenie, was a black slave; his father, Frank Herndon, was a white slave owner. }} What Is The Herndon Foundation? Today the home is registered as a National Historic Place. Alonzo Herndon, a former slave born in 1858 in Social Circle, sought to better himself and ultimately became Atlanta's first African-American millionaire. Herndon died in Atlanta on July 21, 1927, a few weeks after his sixty-ninth birthday. 2. He passed away on 21 July 1927. border-color:#f4c85e; By 1922 the company had more than $400,000 in assets. } 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. then he bought a plantation near tavares florida. color:#f4c85e; Alonzo wanted to remind himself and others that even though he had become very successful he started out as a slave. } He also became the president of this company. 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. Herndon was also active in the community in other areas. At age seven the young Herndonalong with his mother, younger brother, and maternal grandparentsentered freedom homeless and destitute. "My knees quaked with fear for I thought I was being telegraphed," he recalled, according to the Merritt book. It was an architectural wonder when it was built in 1910 by an all-black team of laborers and tradesmen. Read more Reading age 8 - 10 years Print length 28 pages Language English Grade level 3 - 4 Dimensions 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. 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. 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. Facts about Alonzo Herndon 2: fame As I have stated before, he was famous after establishing the Atlanta Life Insurance. .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, Even as a boy, however, Herndon exhibited an entrepreneurial spirit. Biography. 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