(photo cred: Citizens Trust Bank Instagram)

Citizens Trust Bank was founded in 1921 and was located on Auburn Ave. in Atlanta, Georgia. The bank was founded by Heman Perry. Perry decided to open up Citizens Trust Bank after being denied service at a white-owned store. He and four other businessmen joined together with the common objective of starting a financial institution for other black business owners and businesses to prosper.

Citizens Trust Bank certainly made its historic imprint but larger corporations such as Wells Fargo and Bank of America gained way more popularity and basically became the industry standard for banking. However, recently, a lot of attention has been placed back on Citizens Trust Bank. Killer Mike went on air at Hot 107.9 radio station and asked African Americans in Atlanta to go to their local Citizens Trust Bank and use $100 to open up an account. The request and movement was an economic stand against the ongoing police brutalities that seem to be systematically targeting the black community. As the media propagandize the already intense relationship between the police and urban communities, and as justice continues to not be served in the murder cases where police officers are involved, the people are growing restless. Change is a must at this point, and affecting the economy is a brilliant move and a beautiful start.


(photo cred: rollingout.com)

Since Killer Mike’s call-to-action, Citizens Trust Bank has received over 8,000 new accounts. The #BankBlack movement is definitely catching wind and people are putting their money where their mouths are and taking a stand. The black community is the only community that doesn’t have a strong circulation of our own dollars within our communities.

“Citizen’s Trust provides a financial foundation for our community and that really helps us to put in place the businesses that we want to see that we don’t see in our communities,” said Executive Vice President Fredrick Daniels to 11Alive news.

Citizens Trust’s goal is to become the first black-owned billion dollar bank in the United States, and it surely looks like they are well on their way to making that a reality.

If you would like to open up an account simply visit ctbconnect.com or visit your local Citizens Trust Bank.

written by Chandra Meadows for POP ATL