Final answer:
Alonzo Herndon was the first African American man from Atlanta to become a millionaire, exemplifying Booker T. Washington's philosophy of economic independence through entrepreneurship.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first African American man from Atlanta to become a millionaire was Alonzo Herndon. He was born into enslavement but went on to found the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, becoming an exemplar of the economic independence and prosperity for African Americans advocated by leaders like Booker T. Washington. Washington himself, although influential and supportive of entrepreneurship, did not amass personal wealth to the extent of becoming a millionaire. Education and entrepreneurship were key elements in Washington's philosophy, as he believed they were essential for the upliftment and success of the African American community within a segregated society.