Atlanta Life facts for kids
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The Atlanta Life Insurance Company Building in the Sweet Auburn Historic District.
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| Predecessor | The Atlanta Benevolent and Protective Association |
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| Founded | 1922 as Atlanta Life, 1905 as Atlanta Mutual |
| Founder | Alonzo Herndon |
The Atlanta Life Financial Group is a famous company started by Alonzo Herndon in Atlanta, Georgia. Alonzo Herndon was born into slavery. He began his career in Atlanta as a barber. He eventually owned three barber shops. Herndon became the richest African American in Atlanta. He was a very successful businessman.
For many years, Atlanta Life was one of the most important African-American businesses in the United States. It was a life insurance company. This means it helped people plan for their future. The former public housing project called Herndon Homes was named after Alonzo Herndon.
In 1905, Herndon bought a company called The Atlanta Benevolent and Protective Association. He paid $140 for it. He also put $5,000 (which was worth a lot more back then) into a special fund. In 1922, this company was renamed the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. Herndon helped the company grow. It opened branches in many other Southern states.
The Atlanta Life Insurance Company building was built in 1920. It is located at 148 Auburn Avenue. This building is now part of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park.
History of Atlanta Life
In 1905, Alonzo Franklin Herndon started the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. Herndon had been born into slavery. He bought a small group that helped people. It was called the Atlanta Benevolent and Protective Association. Reverend Peter Bryant had started it the year before.
Herndon paid $140 for this group. He then combined his investments into the Atlanta Mutual Insurance Association. He added two other companies to it. These were the Royal Mutual Insurance Company and the National Laborer's Protective Union.
Over the years, other leaders have guided Atlanta Life. In 2008, William A. Clement, Jr. became the President and CEO. He served for three years. He had also been a director for the company before.
In 2014, the company's leaders appointed Roosevelt Giles as Chairman. William J. Stanley III became the Vice Chairman. These leaders continue the company's important work.
