Alonzo Herndon, founder and president of the Atlanta Life Insurance Co., married his second wife, Jessie Gillespie Herndon, in 1912 and was father to Norris B. Herndon who later also became president of the company. Alonzo Herndon, born into slavery, achieved wealth by wealth by opening barber shops and investing in real estate. After his fortune grew, he went into the insurance field which led him to the Atlanta Life Insurance company. Jessie Gillespie Herndon married Alonzo Herndon in 1912 after the passing of his first wife in 1910. She aided him in his business and social life, later also assuming a position on the board of directors in the company making her the first female to serve on that body. She was active in various community affairs, having supported such organizations such as the Phyllis YWCA and the Herndon Day Nursery. Born in 1897, Norris Herndon was the only son of Alonzo Herndon and Adrienne McNeil Herndon. He graduated college from Atlanta University and assumed control over his father’s insurance company in 1928. He led the Atlanta Life Insurance company through a period of growth and prosperity. He also funded many philanthropic endeavors such as establishing the Alonzo F. and Norris B. Herndon Foundation, Inc. He also played a crucial role in the civil rights movement, supporting leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. Each family member made huge strides in black business and contributing to the betterment of black lives.