William V. Banks

William Venoid Banks (May 6, 1903 – August 24, 1985) was an American lawyer, minister, founder of the International Free and Accepted Modern Masons, and the first president and general manager of WGPR-FM (which became Detroit's first black radio station) and WGPR-TV (which was the first black-owned and black-operated television station in the United States).

Early life Banks was born on May 6, 1903, in Geneva, Kentucky. His parents, Richard and Clara Banks, worked as sharecroppers, until his father was almost lynched for standing up for himself against his white employer and then the family frequently moved as his father changed jobs. Once Banks was a teenager, he worked various jobs, including at the Ford Motor Company, to send money back to his family and save for college. Banks enjoyed early success as a lawyer. He served as the head of the Detroit branch of the International Labor Defense, and briefly a member of the Communist Party. He also founded the Universal Barber College and the International School of Cosmetology in 1957. WGPR-TV helped launched the careers of hundreds of African Americans in broadcasting. This organization prohibited drinking, gambling, and immoral conduct at its events and billed itself as a "clean, Christian organization."

Personal life Banks married three times throughout his life: Rose, Ruth, and Ivy. His first two marriages ended in divorce. He died on August 24, 1985.