Herman J. Russell

{{Short description|African American entrepreneur and philanthropist}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Herman J. Russell | image = | alt =  | caption = | birth_name =  | birth_date =  | birth_place = Atlanta, Georgia | death_date = {{Death date and age|2014|11|15|1930|12|23}} | death_place = Atlanta, Georgia | nationality = | other_names = | occupation = Entrepreneur | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = }} '''Herman Jerome Russell''' (December 23, 1930 – November 15, 2014) was an African American businessman who founded a company that became the largest minority business enterprise real estate company in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Horatio Alger Award Recipient Herman Russell |url=https://horatioalger.org/members/detail/herman-j-russell/ |archive-date= |access-date=2025-09-02 |website=Horatio Alger |language=en-US}}</ref> Russell was a confidante of 1960s civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |title=Herman Russell |url=https://www.georgiahistory.com/bio/herman-russell/ |journal=Georgia Historical Society}}</ref> He became the first black member of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |title=International Civil Rights: Walk of Fame - Herman J. Russell |url=https://www.nps.gov/features/malu/feat0002/wof/Herman_Russell.htm |access-date=2026-03-10 |website=www.nps.gov}}</ref> His portfolio expanded to include a diversified list of profitable real estate, construction and food service companies that included H.J. Russell and Company, H.J. Russell Plastering Company, Paradise Management, Inc, DDR International, Concessions International and the Southeast Land Development Company.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 18, 2020 |title="Definitive Documentary on Industry Titan HJ Russell is Movie Gold" |url=https://atlantatribune.com/2020/02/18/definitive-documentary-on-industry-titan-hj-russell-is-movie- |work=Atlanta Tribune|last=Edward|first=Roz}}</ref>

== Early life == Russell was born on December 23, 1930, in the Summerhill district of Atlanta, GA during the era of strict racial segregation. He had a paper route by age eight<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Fennessy |first=Steve |date=January 10, 2019 |title=After Atlanta Icon Herman Russell Died |url=https://www.atlantamagazine.com/great-reads/after-atlanta-icon-herman-russell-died-dna-proved-joycelyn-alston-is-a-daughter-he-never-knew-thats-when-things-got-complicated/ |journal=Atlanta Magazine}}</ref> and learned plastering construction skills from his father Rogers Russell, a master plasterer.<ref name=":1" /> At age 11, he worked alongside his father mixing sand and cement to make mortar. At age 12, he opened a shoeshine stand on city-owned land and started subcontracting work to his friends 30 days later.<ref name=":1" /> Russell was the youngest of eight children born to his father and mother, Maggie Googson. He attended David T. Howard High School, graduated and then earned a degree in building construction from Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in Alabama.<ref name="NGE" /> He funded his education by building a duplex on a parcel of land he purchased for $125 in 1946<ref name=":0" /> when he was 16. He returned to Atlanta, GA from Alabama in 1952, started his company and married Otelia Hackney, from Union Point in Taliaferro County, GA in 1956.<ref name="NGE" /> He was a graduate of Clark College (now Clark University) and taught at the Georgia Avenue School (later the Peter James Bryant Elementary School).<ref name="NGE" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=May 10, 2012 |title=Rogers Russell, Jr Obituary published by the Atlanta Journal Constitution |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/atlanta/name/rogers-russell-obituary?id=32768966 |website=Legacy.com}}</ref> Russell was known for being thrifty, a trait his father taught him. Rogers’ advice was to save a portion of every amount of money earned, no matter how small. Russell said he heeded the advice in all of his enterprises.<ref name=":1" />

==Construction Projects==

Herman and his brother, Rogers, started doing construction projects while Herman was still a student in Tuskegee, AL.<ref name=":2" /> They were being hired often enough to catch the attention of the local sheriff, who told them to return to Atlanta, GA and not come back.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=February 16, 2020 |title=Building Atlanta: The Story of Herman J. Russell |url=https://www.pbs.org/show/building-atlanta-herman-j-russell-story/ |work=Public Broadcasting |pages=Time code 33:19}}</ref> In Atlanta, he first worked with his father in plastering. Then, he set his sights on something bigger by building 12 residential units on South Avenue in Atlanta.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=H. J. Russell history: 1980s |url=https://www.hjrussell.com/history/ |website=H.J. Russell & Company}}</ref> His company established a good reputation and Herman used word-of-mouth references to find partners that allowed him to include commercial projects among his portfolio of residential work. He officially founded H.J. Russell & Associates in 1953 and incorporated it in 1957.<ref name=":6" /> In 1963 his company received a contract to plaster the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium,<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Riley |first=Betsy |date=May 2011 |title=Herman Russell |url=https://www.atlantamagazine.com/civilrights/herman-russell/ |website=Atlanta Magazine}}</ref> built for the Atlanta Braves baseball team. H. J. Russell & Company added fireproofing to its services and in 1968 was hired to plaster and fireproof the Equitable Building in downtown Atlanta. His receipt of the Equitable Building bid was the largest contract of its kind ever awarded to a black-owned firm.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=H.J. Russell & Company History |url=https://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/h-j-russell-company-history/ |website=Funding Universe}}</ref> In 1969, he received another prestigious contract to construct Citizens Trust Bank.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=H.J. Russell & Company |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/hj-russell-company |website=Encyclopedia.com}}</ref>

Herman’s next accomplishment took place when he became a subcontractor with Holder Construction to build Colony Square in Atlanta,<ref name=":3" /> the oldest high-rise development in Midtown. It was the first mixed-use development in the Southeast.{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}} H.J. Russell & Company submitted the lowest bid for drywall. Robert Holder, Sr. Holder Construction Company founder, reviewed Russell’s portfolio before deciding to work with him, and was impressed. It was the first of fifty high-profile projects the two men completed together.<ref name=":5" /> Holder said in a documentary about Russell, that Delta Air Lines paired the two companies to build its headquarters.<ref name=":3" /> Holder and Russell later became friends.<ref name=":3" />

Russell also began landing his own prime contracts. In addition, his company started to get business outside of Atlanta and the state of Georgia. It set up project management division offices in Birmingham, Alabama the mid-1980s.<ref name=":4" /> The City of Birmingham, the Birmingham Turf Club, the Birmingham Airport Authority, and the Birmingham/Jefferson County Civic Center Authority all became clients.<ref name=":8" />

One of H.J. Russell & Associates’ most noteworthy construction projects was for the headquarters of one of the world’s most recognized brands, the Coca-Cola Company.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wenk |first=Amy |date=April 8, 2024 |title=H.J. Russell family to be honored with Four Pillar Award |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2024/04/08/hj-russell-four-pillar-award.html |website=Atlanta Business Chronicle}}</ref> H.J. Russell & Company was the general contractor. Herman oversaw every aspect of the 20-story tower, which was completed in 1987.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Herman Russell, Founder of H.J. Russell & Company |url=https://www.georgiahistory.com/bio/herman-russell/ |website=GeorgiaHistory.com}}</ref> Russell’s company also continued to build residential properties. That division also experienced significant growth in the 1980s.

The 1996 Summer Olympics allowed H. J. Russell & Associates to grow even larger. Russell received contracts, and worked with partners, to build an Olympic stadium and other facilities. The stadium was built in the Summerhill neighborhood where he grew up. The groundbreaking for the project took place in 1993.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Turner Field until 2016 |url=https://stadiumdb.com/historical/usa/turner_field |website=StadiumDB.com}}</ref>

Russell is credited with making significant contributions to Atlanta’s modern skyline. His company also continued doing sub-contractor work on large, high-profile projects. Some of the most notable buildings and complexes that were completed under his leadership are, (in alphabetical order):

'''191 Peachtree'''

HJ Russell & Company was the material supplier (supervisory contractor of all construction work). Completed in 1992.<ref>{{Cite web |title=994 191 Peachtree Tower Atlanta |url=https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/191-peachtree-tower/1062 |website=SkyscaperCenter.com}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=March 2026|reason=Social media}}

'''Atlanta City Hall'''

H.J. Russell & Company was a partner in building the Atlanta City Hall Complex. The company was the Construction Manager (CM) for the $2 million project that upgraded Assembly Hall, the Commissioner’s Chamber and surrounding areas.<ref name=":7" />

'''Georgia Pacific Headquarters'''

The firm formed a joint venture to build the Georgia Pacific Headquarters in 1982.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 12, 2023 |title=Flashback Friday: H.J. Russell & Company |url=https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsJG8ozg7wm/ |work=Instagram}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=March 2026|reason=Social media}} At the time, it was the second tallest structure in Atlanta.

'''Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport'''

H.J. Russell was one of the companies contracted to build the Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport's main terminal complex. It moved the company into elite status as a builder of transportation facilities.<ref name=":6" />

'''Other Projects**'''<ref name="NGE" />

* Atlanta Public Safety Headquarters * Atlanta Public Schools Instruction & Administration Building * Atlanta Streetcar * Auburn Avenue Research Library * The Carter Center * Centennial Olympic Park * Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Hughes Spalding Hospital * Cosby Learning Center at Spelman College * Delta Air Lines Worldspan and Operations Centers * Ebenezer Baptist Church Addition * Emory Sports Medicine Complex * Judge Romae T. Powell Juvenile Justice Center (Fulton County) * Georgia Dome * Georgia-Pacific Headquarters * Georgia Perimeter College Student Success Center * Georgia World Congress Center, Phase IV * Grady Memorial Hospital * Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport * Lakewood Amphitheater * Langston Hughes High School (Fairburn, GA) * The Manhattan (Sandy Springs area) * Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Home Depot Backyard * Morehouse College Dining Hall * Morris Brown College Administration Building * National Center for Civil and Human Rights * Philips Arena * State Farm Arena Transformation * Target at Atlantic Station * Turner Field (now, Georgia State University’s Stadium) * Water Supply Program (Tunnel Project), City of Atlanta * Woodruff Park

<nowiki>**</nowiki> Russell named his three children, Donata, Michael and Jerome to run his companies after he retired in 2003. Some of the construction projects listed were headed by Michael who became CEO of H.J. Russell & Company.{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}}

== Affiliations == Russell served as the first African American member of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, and would later become its president.<ref name=":9" /><ref name="NGE">{{cite web |title=Herman J. Russell (1930–2014) |url=https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/herman-j-russell-1930-2014 |website=New Georgia Encyclopedia |publisher=Digital Library of Georgia |access-date=February 10, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Herman J. Russell built legacy in Atlanta |url=https://www.ajc.com/news/local/herman-russell-built-legacy-atlanta/8iFlDct01va1h8QR8Uk6CK/ |access-date=February 10, 2020 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=International Civil Rights: Walk of Fame – Herman J. Russell |url=https://www.nps.gov/features/malu/feat0002/wof/Herman_Russell.htm |website=nps.gov |publisher=National Park Service |access-date=February 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191018141019/https://www.nps.gov/features/malu/feat0002/wof/Herman_Russell.htm |archive-date=October 18, 2019 |quote=A quiet, but influential civic leader, Russell worked very closely with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s. He became the first black member, and later president, of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Suggs |first1=Ernie |title=Atlanta business icon Herman J. Russell has died |url=https://www.ajc.com/business/atlanta-business-icon-herman-russell-has-died/oxbzvJ0ufOewfvciOdbHyL/ |access-date=February 10, 2020 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=November 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200210013045/https://www.ajc.com/business/atlanta-business-icon-herman-russell-has-died/oxbzvJ0ufOewfvciOdbHyL/ |archive-date=February 10, 2020 |quote=Herman J. Russell, an entrepreneur and philanthropist who turned a small plastering firm into one of the nation’s most successful African-American-owned real estate development and construction companies, died Saturday. He was 83. Russell, a lifelong Atlantan who counted among his friends several presidents and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., helped shape the city’s skyline and wielded influence far beyond his hometown.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=History |url=https://www.hjrussell.com/history/ |website=H.J. Russell & Company |access-date=February 10, 2020 |quote=With the skills his father taught him, he, with the help of friends, built a duplex on a vacant lot he had saved up to purchase. He saved up enough rental income from that duplex to pay for his college education at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama where he earned his degree in building construction in 1952 and worked as a subcontractor with his brother Roger Russell assisting. This was also the year that Herman founded H. J. Russell Plastering Company in Atlanta, which would later become H. J. Russell & Company.}}</ref> He founded H. J. Russell & Company, the largest minority-owned real estate and construction business in the United States.<ref>{{cite book |last=Myrick-Harris|first=Clarissa|editor-last1=Smith |editor-first1=Jessie Carney |title=Encyclopedia of African American Business: A-J |date=2006 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-313-33110-7 |pages=704–707 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-VYN_LWZwf4C&pg=PA704 |access-date=February 10, 2020 |language=en|chapter=Herman Jerome Russel (1930-), Business Mogul, Community Leader, Philanthropist}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Harris |first1=Robert L. Jr. |last2=Terborg-Penn |first2=Rosalyn |title=The Columbia Guide to African American History Since 1939 |date=2006 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=978-0-231-51087-5 |pages=199–200 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y2AaAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA199 |access-date=February 10, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> Russell was inducted into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame in 2008.<ref name=":9" /> Russell was a 1991 recipient of the Horatio Alger Award, and received the title Georgia Trustee from the Georgia Historical Society in 2013.<ref name="NGE" /> Russell's autobiography ''Building Atlanta'' was published in April 2014, shortly before his death.<ref>{{cite web |title=BUILDING ATLANTA by Herman J. Russell, Bob Andelman |work= Kirkus Reviews |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/herman-j-russell/building-atlanta/ |access-date=February 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200210014657/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/herman-j-russell/building-atlanta/ |archive-date=February 10, 2020 }}</ref>

==Death== Herman J. Russell died on November 15, 2014, at the age of 83, in Atlanta Georgia and was buried at South-View Cemetery.<ref name=henderson>{{cite book|last=Henderson | first=D.L. | title=South-View: An African American City of the Dead | year=2018 | page=6| isbn=978-0998577203 | location=Dunwoody, Georgia | publisher=Carrelspin Press | oclc=1048552699 }}</ref>

== References == {{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Herman}} Category:African-American business executives Category:1930 births Category:2014 deaths Category:People from Atlanta Category:Philanthropists from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:American real estate and property developers Category:20th-century American philanthropists Category:Burials at South-View Cemetery Category:20th-century African-American people Category:21st-century African-American people