Banks Turner

Banks Pearson Turner (September 14, 1889 – January 11, 1953) was a Democratic member of the Tennessee General Assembly for Gibson, Tennessee. He is best remembered for action taken to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment during his first term in the legislature. Turner was one of two state House members who changed his previous inclination to vote from a no to a yes in August 1920, thus ensuring the passage (and ratification) of the Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution.

Childhood and Education Turner attended Castle Heights Military Academy and Vanderbilt Law School and received his law degree from YMCA Law School in Nashville, TN. Democrats felt that the Nineteenth Amendment was good for them nationally, so Turner was supporting the will of his party. After the two failed votes to table the motion, a vote was called to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment. Turner voted in favor. As the clerk called “Turner,” he arose once again and shouted “Aye.” The resolution had carried by a vote of 49 to 47.