Alonzo Herndon
Encyclopedia
Alonzo Franklin Herndon (June 26, 1858 – July 21, 1927) was an African American businessman and the founder and president of the Atlanta Mutual Life Insurance Company. Born into slavery, he became Atlanta
's first black
millionaire
. His home, Herndon Home
, is a U.S. National Historic Landmark
. His son, Norris Herndon, expanded the company into a multi-million dollar empire.
Herndon Homes, an Atlanta public housing project (now demolished) was named for Herndon.
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
's first black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
millionaire
Millionaire
A millionaire is an individual whose net worth or wealth is equal to or exceeds one million units of currency. It can also be a person who owns one million units of currency in a bank account or savings account...
. His home, Herndon Home
Herndon Home
Herndon Home was the Atlanta, Georgia mansion home of Alonzo Franklin Herndon, a rags-to-riches hero who was born into slavery, but went on to become Atlanta's first black millionaire. He founded the Atlanta Life Insurance Company....
, is a U.S. National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
. His son, Norris Herndon, expanded the company into a multi-million dollar empire.
Herndon Homes, an Atlanta public housing project (now demolished) was named for Herndon.