L. K. Atwood profile

Profile of Louis Kossuth Atwood from The National Cyclopedia of the Colored Race, Vol I

Atwood, L. K. (Louis Kossuth), 1850-1929; African American businesspeople

Louis K. Atwood, A.B.

Some score of years ago, somebody asked if it was Booker T. Washington who discovered Mississippi. Since the wizard of Tuskegee is blamed and credited with so many feats it would not be altogether inappropriate to credit him with the Right discovery of Mississippi. To be sure everybody knew that the land of Private John Allen and Jefferson Davis was there, but the real resourceful Mississippi and especially Negro Mississippi was not known until recent years. Then it was found on the farms, in the delta lands, in the villages, in the small towns and in a few large towns there were Negroes of considerable wealth.

To be a peer with a financier of Mississippi is no mean post. Such is the good fortune of L. K. Atwood of Jackson, Mississippi. Mr. Atwood was born in Alabama. He completed the work in elementary education in his native state. He then went to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, whence he was graduated in 1874 with the honors of his class. For some years after graduation he taught school in Hinds County, Mississippi.

Showing greater freedom and aspiring to manage larger finances, Mr. Atwood engaged in the mercantile business. In the mean time he also read law and in 1879 was admitted to the bar in Mississippi. In this year and in 1883 he was a member of the Mississippi Legislature. In both years Mr. Atwood goes down in history as the candidate who won the best vote ever polled for a representative in Hinds County. His most distinctive work in the Mississippi Legislature was that of securing liberal appropriation for Alcorn College. In 1899 Mr. Atwood was made Deputy United States Collector of Internal Revenue for the States of Mississippi and Louisiana. In business and in a number of the secret organizations Mr. Atwood is a man of great power and far-reaching influence.

Probably no one Negro in the State of Mississippi can state with greater pride his regard for benevolent society work than Mr. Atwood. In the year 1884 he joined the Order of Jacobs. Under his leadership, for he was master of the order, this body has paid out more than $410,000 in benefits to the Negroes in the State of Mississippi.

This powerful fraternity is one of the most beneficent organizations soliciting the patronage of the public. It has come before the people of Mississippi for recognition and support solely on its merits. It is founded on Gibraltar like business principles. While its ritualistic work is sublime, the fact must not be overlooked that this fraternity is first of all, a high class business organization. While the primary object of any fraternal organization is the promoting of the moral, physical, intellectual and material welfare of its members, Mr. Atwood knows this can be done only by combining correct business principles with proper mental and moral training and this accounts for his success with the Jacobs.

Mr. Atwood is Editor of the Jacobs Watchman as well as master of the order. Through this paper he reaches and knows many people both in and out of the State of Mississippi. Finding a success in the order and in politics, Mr. Atwood turned his attention to banking. In the year 1904 he organized at Jackson, the American Trust and Savings Bank. Its first dividend paid 27 per cent. Two years later he resigned his place with the American Trust and Savings Bank and organized the Southern Bank, of which he is president.

There is not a man in the State of Mississippi that is more widely and more favorably known than Mr. Atwood. He conducts all of his business on a safe and sane basis and his pronounced success in this particular should be an inspiration to others. In his relation to his many employees he accords them every courtesy. He has not resorted to domineering methods to get the required work out of the men in his employment, but has ever been just and considerate and gets the maximum of service and loyalty from his employees. As measured by his achievements, he is a highly successful man. He is an organizer and a worker and has the power of initiative so essential for the success of any leader. He has the ability to carry on to a successful conclusion, a great many different enterprises at one time. He is a convincing conversationalist and a forceful orator. He is well poised and never loses his dignity.

He is widely known both in Mississippi and in Negro business circles as a successful banker, astute lawyer, and able financier.