Citizens Trust Bank honored for its Historical Significance

In February 2025, the Georgia Historical Society (GHS) recognized Citizens Trust Bank for its historical significance, resilience and community impact. 

One of the United States’ largest Black-owned banks, the Atlanta-based community bank was honored as part of GHS’s Business History Initiative. 

“We have such a long and rich history, and I was honored and extremely proud,” says Cynthia Day, president and CEO of Citizens Trust Bank. “I just knew that this recognition was not just a tribute to the past, but it was a testament to the enduring impact that a mission-driven institution like ours has had on the city of Atlanta, the state [of Georgia] and beyond.”

The bank’s entire community, including the mayor of Atlanta, customers and community leaders, attended the ceremony, which saw a historical marker installed outside the bank’s headquarters. 

Citizens Trust Bank has served the Atlanta community for over a century. It was founded in 1921 by Heman E. Perry and four other businessmen, who came to be known as the Fervent Five. After facing discrimination in a community that previously had limited to no access to financial services, the group was inspired to start the community bank. 

The mission was to provide capital, launch businesses and help promote homeownership, savings and investing. This continues to be the mission as Citizens Trust Bank continues to grow. 

“We see [the historical marker] as a beacon of possibility,” Day says. “It lets us and the world know that Citizens Trust Bank is more than a financial institution. It’s a movement that continues to strengthen businesses and uplift communities, and it drives economic equality for everyone.”