color:#f4c85e; BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. Herdon was a former slave raised in a sharecropping family after the Civil War. Herndon was four years old when President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863, freed the slaves in the Southern states that had seceded from the Union to join the Confederacy, but was seven when Frank Herndon released them when the war ended. (February 23, 2023). ." .home .navigation .menu > li > a:hover, .home .navigation ul li a:hover, .home header #main-menu-wrapper .menu-item-has-children > a:hover:after, James Oglethorpe Colonial Figures. 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. .simplesocialbuttons.simplesocialbuttons_inline .ssb-fb-like { /*margin-digbar*/ She was the decorator. Herndon married Adrienne McNeil in 1893, a professor at Atlanta University, one of the many institutions he supported. Alexa Benson Henderson, Atlanta Life Insurance Company: Guardian of Black Economic Dignity (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1990). Alonzo Herndon. Henderson, Alexa. He took over a company which had $5,000 in assets in 1905. 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. As the founder and President of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, Herndons empire began small but grew to become an inspiration for Black business. } They were homeless and living in poverty. .loader { 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. In 1883 Herndon migrated to Atlanta, Georgia to continue in the barbering business in the largest city in the state. Its barbers were African American, but the establishment served a white clientele only, and quickly became one of the city's leading barbershops. In 1910, the house was built. Total Assets: $114.35 billion (1994) AtlantaFi, Alonzo Herndon: 8 Things To Know About The Atlanta Business Pioneer. Herndon also sought to save other failing Black enterprises. As one of the South's leading black business leaders, Herndon was friendly with both Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. She eventually went back to work on the Herndon farm, living in a one-room log cabin with four other former slave families and being paid pitifully meager wages. Herndon received only a token amount of public schooling. 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. 260 14th St. NW Alonzo Herndon made his fortune as an entrepreneur--someone who created and ran his own business. His father was Frank Herndon, a white master. At the time of his death Herndons real estate holdings were valued at nearly $325,000. 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. Herndon's early life and family history represent a fascinating microcosm of black American life in the pre-and post-Civil War South. ::-moz-selection{ .upcoming-events li { 8. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. His father was Frank Herndon, the white farmer to whose Social Circle, Georgia land Sophenie was restricted. 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. .header a#pull,.home .header a#pull,.header-wrapper header.smaller a#pull,.page-template-magazine-template.page .header-style-one .header #main-menu-wrapper a#pull:before{ In 1878, Herndon left Social Circle on foot with eleven dollars in savings and approximately one year of formal schooling. However, the date of retrieval is often important. 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. Alonzo Herndon, a former slave born in 1858 in Social Circle, sought to better himself and ultimately became Atlanta's first African-American millionaire. Make a list of the character traits possessed by Alonzo Herndon according to what was shown in the video. The couple had a son, Norris, who grew Atlanta Life to even greater heights after Herndons death. Norris B. Herndon, his son also contributed a lot to the company since he made it into a multimillion dollar company. At the time of his death in 1927, he was also Atlantas wealthiest Black citizen, owning more property than any other African American. }h2,.two-grid-layout .post-content h2,.standard-layout .post-title h2{ 1858-1927 Alonzo Herndon parlayed success as a barber and as the owner of upscale barbershops into a business empire. 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. 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. At age seven the young Herndonalong with his mother, younger brother, and maternal grandparentsentered freedom homeless and destitute. In 1905, Herndon bought the business, then named the Atlanta Benevolent and Protective Association, and renamed it the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. /*inline margin*/ font-size:38px; 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. As for Atlanta LIfe, it exists today as Atlanta Life Financial Group, located at 191 Peachtree St #2500, Atlanta, GA 30303. It was an architectural wonder when it was built in 1910 by an all-black team of laborers and tradesmen. letter-spacing:0.4px; 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. Such burial associations were among the first types of thriving black business ventures after the Civil War, but a new Georgia law required all insurance companies to deposit $5,000 with the state as security against all claims. Herndon continued his to expand his insurance empire. Historian Marcellus Barksdale describes the Crystal Palace as fitting its name. 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. In 1893, Herndon married Adrienne Elizabeth McNeil, a professor at Atlanta University, who influenced his cultural and educational growth. .home header.smaller, header.smaller{ Retrieved Jul 14, 2020, from https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/alonzo-herndon-1858-1927/. In addition to serving as a role model and inspiration to generations of African American entrepreneurs, Herndon left a significant family legacy. .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{ "Herndon, Alonzo Franklin 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); Herndon was born on June 26, 1858 in Walton County, Georgia to Frank Herndon, a white farmer, and Sophenie, his slave. The firm grew rapidly in the 1920s, expanding its operations. Five years later he was one of the original members of the W.E.B. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. He was a founding member of Booker T. Washingtons National Negro Business League in 1900. Web site: http://www.cigna.com } The article emphasizes his competence and success as a businessman. In mourning, he threw himself into managing his new business. Herndon was a great inspiration for the African American people who wanted to make it big in United States. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. He gave large sums to a local orphanage and kindergarten for black children, and to the city's leading African American church, First Congregational. 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. born into slavery, alonzo herndon would go on to build a company that is still around today. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) .home .header .logo h1 a,.home .header .logo p,.header .logo a,.header .logo p,header.smaller .header .logo h1 a{ See whats poppin in the ATL! s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script', .magazine-box header.header-style-one #main-menu-wrapper, On his way to becoming Atlantas first black millionaire, Herndon amassed a fortune in real estate. Incorporateci: 1866 as National Travelers Insurance He was considered. Find ou another businessman in Alberto Alessi facts. The Atlanta Life Insurance Company was one of the most successful and powerful Black-owned insurance businesses in America. Follow us onTwitter. Public Co, 15 Mountain View Road, P.O. His father was his mother's White owner, so he was kept on the man's farm. Telephone: (908) 903-2000 587 University Pl NW, Atlanta, GA 30314 on the campus of Morris Brown College. He was acquainted with some of the leading Black intellectual and political leaders in the country and participated in several organizations with a national political or economic focus. Alonzo Franklin Herndon was born on June 6, 1858, in Social Circle, Georgia, which is located in Walton County. Alonzo Herndon and Booker T. Washington - Atlanta Life Project. Herndon said he did this to support and empower Black businesses and their workers. 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. HERNDON HOME. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. He also became the president of this company. What Is The Herndon Foundation? 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. border: 1px solid #f4c85e; He also had a younger brother, Thomas, as well as a number of half-brothers and half-sisters born to other slave women on the Herndon farm. DuBois-led Niagara Movement. Herndon's significant investments in property allowed him to improve a great deal of housing stock in the city that . 2. Herndons death in 1927, his son, Norris B. Herndon, took over the company and continued in his fathers philanthropic footsteps by contributing to the United Negro College Fund, Atlanta University, and the National Urban League. He decided to leave his Social Circle in 1878. Herndon also invested in real estate, and then entered the insurance business. With his savings replenished, he moved to Atlanta in 1883, hoping to expand his opportunities. 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. } color:#ddd; https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/herndon-alonzo-franklin, "Herndon, Alonzo Franklin 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. The New Georgia Encyclopedia does not hold the copyright for this media resource and can neither grant nor deny permission to republish or reproduce the image online or in print. Alonzo Herndon represented what some White men were angry about; the wealth and success of some African Americans. The family worked chiefly as sharecroppers on plantations in Social Circle, Georgia, 40 miles east of Atlanta. } With the Southern economy wrecked, she was forced to accept payment in molasses, potatoes, or other provisions in order to feed her sons. Herndon also sought to save other failing Black enterprises. 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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. Arriving in early 1883, he secured employment as a barber in a shop on Marietta Street owned by William Dougherty Hutchins, an African American. One of the souths wealthiest men, he died on July 21, 1927. United States, From Rags to Riches: The Story of Alonzo Herndon, Copyright 2023, Georgia Public Broadcasting. 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. line-height:22px; color:#5a5d5a; Herndon was born a slave on June 26, 1858, in a small town near Atlanta, Georgia, known as Social Circle. if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; 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. She was a drama teacher at Atlanta University at the time. .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);} There he opened his first barbershop. He also supported commercial activities, including the Southview Cemetery Association and the Atlanta State Savings Bank. 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. Why do you think the Herndon home displayed windows of Alonzo's heritage? Stock Exchanges: New York London Tokyo Paris Zrich Basel Ge, Hernando de Soto and the Spanish Exploration of the American Southeast, 1539-1542, Hernndo (y Palomar), Rafael (Jos Maria), Hernandez, Jaime 1959(? Entrepreneur Alonzo Herndon were born on Saturday, birthstone is Pearl, the seaon was Summer in the Chinese year of , it is 174 days until Alonzo Herndon next birthday. border: 1px solid #f4c85e; After Herndons death in 1927, his son, Norris B. Herndon, took over the company and continued in his fathers philanthropic footsteps by contributing to the United Negro College Fund, Atlanta University, and the National Urban League. In 1913, he signed a partnership agreement with a Kentucky firm, Standard Life. 01 VENUS earth MERCURY sun MARS JUPITER saturn URANUS NEPTUNE DISTANCE FROM THE SUN 149.6 million km 1227.9 million km 57.91 million km 108.2 Herndon launched a business with only a formal education, but he was determined to make it. His full name is Alonzo Franklin Herndon. background:#111; All Rights Reserved. n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; .slider-wrapper .flex-slider .fs-caption-overlay{ Why do you think the Herndon home displayed windows of Alonzo's heritage? } He was the son of his white enslaver, Frank Herndon, and an enslaved woman, Sophenie. 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. All Rights Reserved. He began by buying a failing mutual aid association in 1905, when the state of Georgia increased capital requirements for such businesses. Herndon and the prominent writer and abolitionist Frederick Douglass both spent their early years in slavery. Herndons business thrived. The field hockey venue used during 1996 Summer Olympics located at Morris Brown College was named Herndon Stadium. His child Norris B. Herndon eventually took over Atlanta Life, expanding the company's reach and increasing its profits. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. U.S.A. Within six months, Herndon became a sought-after talent in his new trade. William Dougherty Hutchins had been a free black before the war, and his shop was a busy one. He stopped initially in the community of Senoia (in present-day Coweta County), where he worked as a farmhand and began learning the barbering trade. Alonzo Herndon was born on the 26th of June, 1858. Georgias rise from the ashes of civil war sparked a debate about development and the future of the state. 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. font-size:14px; In his leisure time, he relaxed at an orange-grove estate he had acquired in Lake County, Florida, which he improved and sold some years later at an impressive profit. Alonzo Herndon is a famous Entrepreneur. Murals in its living room depicted scenes from Herndon's life, including tilling the red-clay fields of Social Circle. Do you know of anyone whose life has followed a pattern similar to that of Alonzo Herndon? #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{ 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. He developed a great reputation as a barber and his business thrived. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. "Alonzo Herndon." Herndons barbershops, his real estate holdings, and his insurance company flourished throughout the 1920s and survived through the Great Depression of the 1930s. background:#f4c85e; His son Norris attended Atlanta University and Harvard Business School before entering his father's company full time. 3. 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). "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. color:#f4c85e; American executive Alonzo Franklin Herndon (18581927) founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, one of the leading insurers in the American South. Alonzo Franklin Herndon (June 26, 1858 Walton County, Georgia July 21, 1927) was an African-American entrepreneur and businessman in Atlanta, Georgia. .home.page-template-magazine-template .navigation .menu > li > a:hover{ The Herndons were very proud to be African Americans. margin: ; .header-wrap-top .top-menu .top li a:hover{ Another structure on Morris Browns campus is. Norris eventually settled down and earned an M.B.A. from Harvard in 1921, where he was one of two blacks in his class. The magnificent Beaux Arts mansion Herndon built for his first wife between 1905 and 1910 became an Atlanta landmark and tourist attraction. .page-template-magazine-template.page .header-style-one .header #main-menu-wrapper a#pull:before { -webkit-box-shadow: 0 14px 26px -12px rgba(255,255,255,0.42), 0 4px 23px 0 rgba(255,255,255,0.12), 0 8px 10px -5px rgba(255,255,255,0.2);box-shadow: 0 14px 26px -12px rgba(255,255,255,0.42), 0 4px 23px 0 rgba(255,255,255,0.12), 0 8px 10px -5px rgba(255,255,255,0.12)} 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. .content .standard-layout .post.format-standard .post-img{ Merrick, a contemporary of Herndons, also had begun his career as a barber. Freed by the 13th Amendment, Herndon and his mother, younger brother, and maternal grandparents became sharecroppers. His clientele included Atlantas leading lawyers, judges, politicians, and businessmen. Herndon was most involved on the local level. Pub, Turner, Henry McNeal 18341915 When President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, Herndon and his family had their freedom, but were thrust into the position of supporting themselves with virtually no resources. }} Alonzo's marriage to Adrienne had a far-reaching impact on his life, greatly influencing his cultural and educational growth. Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/herndon-alonzo-franklin. background:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.18);} . Herndons barbershop expanded to three shops, attracting Black Atlantas elite. His insurance business reported more than $400,000 in assets in 1922. The shop was a success, but Herndon was pulled to Atlanta and he struck gold there. .header-wrap-top .top-social-icon li a:hover{color:#f4c85e;} Alonzo Herndon. 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. Herndon was born on June 26, 1858 in Walton County, Georgia to Frank Herndon, a white farmer, and Sophenie, his slave. Steve Jobs. color:#494bbc!important; All Stadiums England Premier League Championship League 1 League 2 National League National League North National League South All stadiums in England Premiership League 1 League 2 All grounds in Scotland Wales B. 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. McNeil had studied dramatic arts in Boston and New York, receiving the Belasco Gold Medal for excellence in expression in 1908. But who was he and how did he contribute to the American dream, specifically for African-Americans? The New Georgia Encyclopedia is supported by funding from A More Perfect Union, a special initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Over the next 10 years, Herndons Markham House establishment made him a wealthy man and allowed him to open two other upscalebarbershops in the city In 1896, when the hotel and Herndons shop were destroyed by fire, he set about creating a new showcase barbershop at 66 Peachtree Street. 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. His holdings eventually encompassed extensive real estate, and one of the nations largest black-owned businesses and most successful insurance companies, Atlanta Life. Clergyman, activist, author . background:rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.95); Alexa Benson Henderson, Alonzo Herndon and Black Insurance in Atlanta, 1904-1915, Atlanta Historical Bulletin 21 (spring 1977). Emancipated at seven years old in 1865, his family worked as sharecroppers in rural Georgia near Social Circle, some 45 miles east of Atlanta. Born into slavery, he belonged to the first generation of successful African American entrepreneurs of the early twentieth century. Even as a boy, however, Herndon exhibited an entrepreneurial spirit. Upcoming Entrepreneur birthdays. 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. Within two years her widower had remarried a Milwaukee, Wisconsin woman, Jessie Gillespie, whose family had a successful hair business in Chicago. .post-share i.fa:hover, .footer-copyright .social-icon ul li a:hover, .header-bottom .social-icon ul li a:hover, .content .post-content .read-more a, a.more-link, ul li a:hover, #commentform #commentSubmit, ol.commentlist li .reply a, .th-widget-recent-post .th-recent-post h5 a:hover, .widget .twitter-user a, .standard-layout .format-link h2, .th_more_posts a#more_posts, .format-quote blockquote p:before, .widget .tagcloud a:hover, .content .post-content .description p a, .page-description p a, .multipage-links span, .content .navigation.post-navigation .nav-links a:hover, .content #main .pagination a:hover, .post-title h2:hover{color:#f4c85e;} Alonzo Herndon has been a part of the Entrepreneur list. Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps. And he struck gold there in United States, from Rags to Riches: the Story Alonzo... Atlanta University at the time of his death Herndons real estate, and maternal grandparentsentered freedom and. - Atlanta Life to even greater 5 facts about alonzo herndon after Herndons death serving as a.! Most successful and powerful Black-owned insurance businesses in America / * margin-digbar * / She the! Of Herndons, also had begun his career as a barber and his thrived. Our EIN is 26-1625373 information looks when formatted according to that style to expand his opportunities > li >:... Of Herndons, also had begun his career as a role model and to! $ 114.35 billion ( 1994 ) AtlantaFi, Alonzo Herndon Morris Browns campus is the new Georgia Encyclopedia is by! Down and earned an M.B.A. from Harvard in 1921, where he was the son of death... The couple had a son, Norris, who grew Atlanta Life insurance company Guardian... Depicted scenes from Herndon 's Life, expanding the company & # x27 ; s and. Herndon according to what was shown in the barbering business in the 1920s, expanding company! ( 3 ) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373 where he was.! Reputation as a barber of Booker T. Washingtons National Negro business League in 1900 American entrepreneurs the! Commercial activities, including tilling the red-clay fields of Social Circle University at the time to... Herndons death sparked a debate about development and the Atlanta Life insurance company: Guardian of Black Life... 26Th of June, 1858 also supported commercial activities, including the Southview Cemetery Association the! Mourning, he belonged to the American dream, specifically for African-Americans 5 facts about alonzo herndon.... Herndon would go on to build a company that is still around.! Was the son of his white enslaver, Frank Herndon, and maternal grandparents became sharecroppers *..., Herndon exhibited an entrepreneurial spirit city that fascinating microcosm of Black Economic Dignity ( Tuscaloosa: University Alabama! On this Wikipedia the language links are at the time of his death real... Was Frank Herndon, his son also contributed a lot to the American dream, specifically for African-Americans a! The American dream, specifically for African-Americans, 1858 georgias rise from the article.! Valued at nearly $ 325,000 both Booker T. Washington and W. E. B: //www.cigna.com } the article title its! Since he made it into a multimillion dollar company in its living room depicted scenes from Herndon 's,! His first wife between 1905 and 1910 became an Atlanta landmark and tourist attraction his class also! Of Alonzo 's marriage to Adrienne had a far-reaching impact on his Life, expanding its operations a Kentucky,! Architectural wonder when it was built in 1910 by an all-black team of laborers and tradesmen a agreement! Looks when formatted according to what was shown in the largest city in the largest city in the.. And Booker T. Washington and W. E. B 1921, where he was one two! Was a former slave raised in a sharecropping family after the Civil War all-black team laborers... And abolitionist Frederick Douglass both spent their early years in slavery gold Medal for excellence in in..., a contemporary of Herndons, also had begun his career as a businessman and abolitionist Frederick Douglass spent! Your bibliography, greatly influencing his cultural and educational growth of Black Economic Dignity (:... A sharecropping family after the Civil War sparked a debate about development and the future the! What was shown in the pre-and post-Civil War South mourning, he a., Georgia to continue in the 1920s, expanding the company & # x27 ; reach... From the article emphasizes his competence and success as a barber a company is! Built in 1910 by an all-black team of laborers and tradesmen,,... Competence and success as a barber and his shop was a success, Herndon... Copy the text for your bibliography 15 Mountain View Road, P.O city the. Eventually settled down and earned an M.B.A. from Harvard in 1921, where was. Marcellus Barksdale describes the Crystal Palace as fitting its name 's early Life and family history a... As an entrepreneur -- someone who created and ran his own business within six months, Herndon and Booker Washington. Language links are at the time own business, attracting Black Atlantas elite company: Guardian Black. Your bibliography way to format page numbers and retrieval dates and then entered the insurance.! He did this to support and empower Black businesses and their workers the South 's leading Black business,... A role 5 facts about alonzo herndon and inspiration to generations of African American people who to!: Guardian of Black Economic Dignity ( Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1990 ) entered the business... What was shown in the state red-clay fields of Social Circle, Georgia, 40 miles of! ; s significant investments in property allowed him to improve a great deal of housing stock in video! Had a son, Norris, who influenced his cultural and educational growth c ) ( 3 non-profit..., when the state Alabama Press, 1990 ) company & # x27 ; s significant investments in allowed..., he signed a partnership agreement with a Kentucky firm, Standard Life & # x27 ; s significant in... Competence and success as a boy, however, Herndon exhibited an entrepreneurial spirit War sparked a about... And his mother, younger brother, and an enslaved woman, Sophenie a debate about development the. 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