Norris B. Herndon facts for kids

Norris Bumstead Herndon (born July 15, 1897 – died June 7, 1977) was an important African-American businessman and generous giver (philanthropist). He earned a special business degree from Harvard Business School. He was also the second President of the famous African-American-owned Atlanta Life Insurance Company.

Norris was the only child of Alonzo F. Herndon, who became Atlanta, Georgia's first African-American millionaire. Alonzo started Atlanta Life in 1905 after overcoming a difficult past. He had been enslaved and later worked as a sharecropper in rural Georgia.

The Atlanta Life Insurance Company began during a time when African Americans faced a lot of unfair treatment and segregation. Despite these challenges, the company became very successful. It was known for being financially strong and for paying claims quickly. Atlanta Life survived many tough times. These included the Atlanta massacre of 1906 and the widespread Spanish flu epidemic in 1918–1919. It also survived the terrible Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 and the Great Depression of 1929. Even after the 1950s, when segregation ended, Atlanta Life continued to thrive. Many other African-American businesses struggled during this period.

Under Norris Herndon's leadership, the Atlanta Life Insurance Company grew a lot. When his father passed away in 1927, the company had $1 million in assets. By the time Norris retired in 1973, it had grown to $84 million. Today, the company is known as the Atlanta Life Financial Group and is worth about $250 million.

Early Life and Family History

Norris Herndon was born on July 15, 1897, in Atlanta, Georgia. His father was the wealthy African-American businessman Alonzo Franklin Herndon. His mother was Adrienne McNeil Herndon, a well-known actress and professor. She taught drama and public speaking at Atlanta University.

When Norris was 13, his father built a beautiful 15-room mansion. This home was in the Vine City neighborhood of Atlanta. Today, it is known as the Herndon Home. In 2000, it was named a U.S. National Historic Landmark.

Sadly, four months after moving into their new home, Norris's mother Adrienne died in 1910. Norris was very sad about losing his mother.

Later, his father Alonzo married again. He married Jessie Gillespie Herndon in 1911. Jessie was a hairdresser and manicurist.

Norris Herndon's Education

Norris Herndon received an excellent education. He graduated from high school at Atlanta University in 1915. He continued his college studies there, graduating in 1919. Unlike his father, who grew up working outdoors, Norris was not very active. His father wanted him to be more physically active to help his studies.

Norris then attended Harvard University. He earned a master's degree in Business Administration in 1921. He was one of only two African Americans in his Harvard MBA graduating class. His classmate, Benjamin Tanner Johnson, later helped start African-American-owned banks. He also worked for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and taught at Howard University.

Years later, Morris Brown College gave Norris Herndon an honorary law degree.

Travels and Early Activism

When Norris was seven, he went with his father and civil rights leader W.E.B. DuBois to Niagara, New York. This was for the 1905 meeting that started the Niagara Movement. This movement was a key step before the creation of the NAACP. DuBois was a friend of the family and taught with Norris's mother.

In 1912, Norris sailed on the RMS Carpathia for a three-month family trip to Europe. This trip happened shortly after the Carpathia had rescued survivors from the Titanic disaster.

By his mid-twenties, Norris Herndon had traveled widely. He visited many places in the U.S. and in Europe, including New York and Rome, Italy. His father supported and planned these trips.

Career at Atlanta Life Insurance Company

After graduating from Harvard, Norris Herndon joined the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. He started as a cashier. Later, he became the company's First Vice President.

Norris helped his father guide the company through tough times. These included the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic and the terrible Tulsa Massacre of 1921. Both events caused many death and sick claims for the company.

When his father, Alonzo Herndon, died in 1927, Norris Herndon became the second President of Atlanta Life Insurance Company. He was 28 years old. His stepmother, Jessie Gillespie Herndon, became the company's vice president.

After Jessie died in 1947, Norris created the Alonzo F. and Norris B. Herndon Foundation in 1952. This foundation helps continue the Herndon family's legacy. It supports education, mentoring, and preparing future business leaders. The foundation also takes care of Norris's childhood home, known as "the Herndon Home." This home became a museum in 1973. It shows Alonzo Herndon's journey from being enslaved to becoming a successful African-American businessman.

Under Norris Herndon, the Atlanta Life Insurance Company grew significantly. Its assets increased from $1 million in 1927 to $84 million when he retired in 1973. Today, Atlanta Life is valued at around $250 million.

Support for Civil Rights

Norris Herndon played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s. He quietly provided money to support many civil rights efforts. These included the NAACP and the United Negro College Fund. He also supported the Phyllis Wheatley YMCA, Atlanta University, Morris Brown College, and the National Urban League.

In 1948, Herndon gave land and money to Atlanta University. This led to the building of Herndon Stadium. This sports facility is located near his childhood home.

Under Herndon's leadership, the Atlanta Life Insurance Company held the first and only insurance policy for the famous Civil Rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr..

Fraternity Memberships

Norris Herndon was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. This was the first college fraternity for African American men. He joined the Sigma Chapter at Boston University in 1921.

One of his fellow members was Charles Hamilton Houston. Houston was a Harvard Law School graduate. He became a dean at Howard University School of Law and a special lawyer for the NAACP. He taught and mentored many Civil Rights attorneys, including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Houston was known for his legal work that helped end "separate but equal" education for African Americans. The Sigma Chapter is also notable because Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. joined it in 1952.

Norris's father, Alonzo Herndon, also became an honorary member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity in 1924. The Herndon Home became a place where fraternity members in Atlanta often gathered.

Norris Herndon was also a member of the District Grand Lodge 18 of the Atlanta Grand United Order of Odd Fellows.

Interest in Arts

Norris Herndon was interested in theater and the arts. This might have been because of his mother Adrienne, who was an actress. He loved attending shows. At first, Norris was not sure about taking over his father's business. His father encouraged him to focus on his studies instead of shows.

Once Norris started to help his father at Atlanta Life during summer breaks, his father was very proud. He wrote to Norris, expressing how happy he was that Norris was taking on responsibilities like a grown man.

Later Life and Passing

Norris Herndon was a very private person. He rarely spoke in public or appeared in social news. Many people who worked at Atlanta Life Insurance Company did not know much about his personal life.

Norris Herndon never married. He passed away at home on June 7, 1977, after a heart attack. He is buried in the South View Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia.

At the time of his death, the Atlanta Life Insurance Company had over $100 million in assets.

Jesse Hill, a company expert, took over as president after Herndon. He was the first person outside the Herndon family to lead the company. This marked a new chapter for Atlanta Life. The company continues to operate today as the Atlanta Life Financial Group.