Of course, it’s the people that make Savannah what it is – the great, talented, selfless and indescribable. Unfortunately, they are not with us forever. This column is meant to highlight those who have passed.
By Eric Curl
April 19, 2025 – Savannah residents recently gathered to honor the life of Rosemary McBride Banks, a beloved educator, civic leader and advocate for youth empowerment and neighborhood revitalization. Banks passed away on March 29, just shy of her 84th birthday. A celebration of life service was held on April 10, what would have been her 84th birthday, at St. James AME Church, where she had been a member.
Described as a “queen warrior” by Savannah Council member Linda Wilder-Bryan, Banks left a legacy rooted in service, education, faith, and dedication to her community – particularly on Savannah’s Eastside and in the Benjamin Van Clark neighborhood, where she lived since the early 1970s, according to those who spoke at her service.
Born in Savannah on April 10, 1941, and raised in a multiethnic community on Savannah’s Eastside, Banks grew up watching her family and neighbors thrive in modest but meaningful ways. After graduating from Alfred E. Beach High School in 1958, she earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Savannah State College in 1962, later returning to complete her master’s degree there.
Her career in education began in Statesboro as an elementary school teacher in the 1960s before she returned to Savannah, teaching at Anderson Street Elementary School and later holding various leadership roles at Savannah State University, including Interim Dean of Continuing Education. There, she secured grant funding for job training and veteran education programs, helping hundreds of youth and adults find opportunity through learning, according to Savannah Council member Detric Leggett.
“Savannah is better because Rosemary Banks passed our way,” Savannah City Council member Carol Bell said during the service.
Beyond the classroom, Banks founded Project YES (Youth Employment Strategy Services) – a nonprofit youth employment program and launched a rites-of-passage program for African American boys. She was also the first African American woman to serve on the Metropolitan Planning Commission.
From her involvement in the Waters Avenue Business Association to work supporting city beautification efforts, Banks was dedicated to community improvement. She and her late husband also ran Porter’s Lounge for almost 30 years, according to a 2023 interview.
City officials recognized her contributions with an official resolution read by Leggett at the service, naming her an “Ambassador” of the community. Leggett also read a letter from Mayor Van Johnson, who described Banks as a “champion of our community” who “left an injectable mark on countless lives and her legacy will live in our hearts.”
“Her impact is the shining example of what it means to be a true community leader,” Leggett said.
Sources:
Transcript of a 2023 interview with Rosemary McBride Banks
Rosemary Banks ‘Celebration of Life’ at St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church (video)
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