On May 8, 1906, entrepreneur Alonzo Herndon officially launched Atlanta Life Insurance Company. Formerly enslaved, Herndon became one of the first African American millionaires through his barbering business before expanding into insurance. Atlanta Life played a crucial role in providing life insurance to African Americans who were denied services by white-owned companies. It also became an economic pillar for Black communities, supporting civil rights efforts throughout the 20th century. Herndon\’s success story symbolized Black economic empowerment during the Jim Crow era.
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