First Black woman to serve on Atlanta City Council, civil rights leader dies

ATLANTA — Atlanta City Council announced the passing of Carolyn Long Banks, the first Black woman to serve on the Atlanta City Council.

Banks was an acclaimed civil rights activist, a fourth-generation Atlantan, and a well-known political leader.

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City Council members Michael Julian Bond and Andrea L. Boone released a statement saying Banks was a true trailblazer and will be remembered for her change in the city and across the nation.

The statement reads in part:

Our community has lost a true trailblazer. Carolyn Long Banks will forever be known as a catalyst for extraordinary change in our city and across the nation. This is a somber moment for us all and I send my deepest condolences to her family. Throughout her life, she had an unwavering commitment toward social and economic justice. Her legacy with the Atlanta Student Movement and the Committee on Appeal for Human Rights will always serve as an inspiration. As the first Black woman to serve on our august body, she left an indelible mark on the community as an advocate for equality and opportunity. She is an instrumental part of our city’s history and gave back in so many ways, including counseling first-time elected officials. Her leadership skills spanned beyond serving on the City Council. She was also part of the Atlanta Business League, the NAACP, and the YWCA Women of Achievement Academy, just to name a few. She was like a surrogate mother to me all of my life and a tremendous mentor to me in my public career. Her children, April and James, are some of my oldest and dearest friends. Her soul will continue to shine brightly in the divine presence of God and her impact will live on in the hearts and minds of all those who were fortunate enough to know her. She was a true public servant, a warrior woman like the Greek goddess Minerva, and now like that goddess, she has taken her place amongst the stars.

—  Michael Julian Bond in statement on Banks' passing

Boone said Banks had a tremendous impact on the community and was a role model for social change.

My heartfelt condolences are with the family of Carolyn Long Banks. She was a remarkable woman who had a truly astounding impact on our community. As we mourn her passing, let us remember her legacy as a civil rights hero and as the first Black woman to serve on the City Council. She broke barriers and was a role model for leadership and social change. Let us keep her family in our prayers as we all seek comfort and peace during this time of mourning.

—  Andrea L. Boone in statement on Banks' passing

Banks graduated from Henry McNeil Turner High School, Clark College, and Georgia State University, and she was one of the organizers of the Atlanta Student Movement.

As the first Black woman to serve on the Council, she represented the city from 1980 to 1997.

The release from the Atlanta City Council highlighted some of Banks’ early life and a list of her accomplishments and involvement around the state and across the nation.

In the 1960′s, she gained experience in the Atlanta Student Movement and participated in the Committee on Appeal for Human Rights. She worked with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the committee to create a manifesto outlining the Black community’s problems. In 1962, she was invited to integrate the Magnolia Room and later became one of the first Black women in a management position at Rich’s.

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Governor Jimmy Carter appointed her to the Commission on Women. She also served as president of the National League of Cities and held leadership positions in numerous local and national organizations.

On the national level, Banks joined President Bill Clinton at the White House to sign his first piece of legislation, the Family Medical Leave Act. She was a Delta Sigma Theta Sorority member, an active member of St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Church, and a lifetime member of the NAACP.

She also led delegations to many foreign countries, leaving a legacy of service that spanned the world.

The Atlanta City Council said Banks was surrounded by her family at the time of her death.

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