Root, Sidney, 1824-1897

A pioneer in developing Atlanta's international trade, Sidney Root also played several high-stakes roles in service of the Confederacy during the Civil War. Aside from these capitalistic and political ventures, his public life included developing green space in Atlanta, and pioneering forest conservation in Georgia, higher education for African Americans and religious training for both blacks and whites.

J. H. DeVotie was hired as the first professional leader of the Georgia Baptist Convention in 1877. Under his leadership the membership, missions, and finances of the organization began to flourish. New Georgia Encyclopedia http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org (Retrieved March 4, 2009)