Alonzo Herndon
Herndon was born into slavery in 1858. After he Emancipated at the end of the Civil War, Herndon and his mother were free, but poor. Herndon went to work at a young age since there were no child labor laws. In 1878, Herndon left his home and moved to what is now Coweta County in Gerogia. There he worked as a farmhand and began to learn the barbering skill. He then moved to Jonesborrow in Clayton County. He opened his first barber shop in Jonesborrow an stayed there for five years. His personal wealth expanded as his business did. With his wealth, Herndon created the Atlanta Life Insurance Company to provide health care to Arican Americans since they were usually denied it.