NEGRO BANKERS’ MEETING.
TWO DAYS’ SESSION HELD AT MOUND BAYOU
THE TEN NEGRO BANKS REPRESENTED
Dr. W. R. Pettiford of Alabama Makes Instructive and Inspiring Address – L. K. Atwood is Elected President.
The Mississippi Negro Bankers Association convened at Mound Bayou, Miss., Feb. 6 and held a two days’ session. The association was called to order at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 6 by Chas. Banks, cashier of the Bank of Mound Bayou, and president of the Mississippi Negro Business League. Prayer was offered by Rev. C. S. Bowman. After some preliminaries it was ascertained that representatives from all the ten Negro banks in Mississippi were on hand. Prominent among those present were: H. H. King, Yazoo City; J. H. D. Robinson, Durant; W. W. Cox, Indianola; T. C. Ewing, Vicksburg; Dr. J. B. Banks and Rev. M. E. Davis, Natchez; W. E. Mollison and H. L. Slaughter, Vicksburg; Dr. W. W. Manaway, Jackson; John W. Strauther, Greenville; and Dr. H. E. Connor, Brookhaven.
Dr. W. R. Pettiford, president of the Penny Savings Bank of Birmingham, Ala., was the guest of the Bankers Association, and his counsel was sought and words received with marked earnestness and helpfulness. It will be remembered that Dr. Pettiford is the founder of the first Negro bank in America. On Thursday night addresses of welcome were delivered by Hon. I. T. Montgomery, founder of the town of Mound Bayou, and by Rev. A. A. Cosey. Responses were made by Rev. H. H. King and Dr. L. W. W. Manaway. An address was also delivered by Dr. Pettiford upon the subject, “Banks as Agents in the Development of Negro Enterprises,” which was full of information and also full of hope for the future of the race. On Friday the exercises were held at Green Grove Baptist Church. Among the subjects discussed during the two days’ session were: “Directors and Their Duties,” “Securities,” “The Negro Banker,” “Should Mississippi Have a Bank Examiner?” “Panics and Negro Banks.” The people of Mound Bayou turned out in great numbers to all of the sessions, and they are loud in their expressions as to the good they derived from the meeting of the association here.
The following named officers were elected for the next year: L. K. Atwood, president, Jackson; W. W. Cox, first vice-president, Indianola; T. C. Ewing, secretary, Vicksburg; H. H. King, treasurer, Yazoo City. Executive committee: Dr. W. A. Attaway, Greenville; John W. Strauther, Greenville; J. B. Banks, Natchez; W. I. Mitchell, Columbus; Chas. Banks, Mound Bayou; W. E. Mollison, Vicksburg; and S. D. Redmond, Jackson.