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[[University of North Carolina]]​

[[University of North Carolina]]​

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'''Jesse Homer Bankston, Sr.''' (October 7, 1907 &ndash; November 25, 2010)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=jesse-bankston&pid=146841086|title=Jesse Bankston, Sr.|publisher=''The Baton Rouge  Advocate''|date=November 28, 2010|accessdate=November 28, 2010}}</ref> was a [[politician]]  within the [[Democratic Party]] of [[Louisiana]], a [[business]]man, and, at his death at the age of 103, a member of the board of Louisiana [[PBS|Public Broadcasting]].​

'''Jesse Homer Bankston, Sr.''' (October 7, 1907 &ndash; November 25, 2010)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=jesse-bankston&pid=146841086|title=Jesse Bankston, Sr.|publisher=''The Baton Rouge  Advocate''|date=November 28, 2010|accessdate=April 26, 2020}}</ref> was a [[politician]]  within the [[Democratic Party]] of [[Louisiana]], a [[business]]man, and, at his death at the age of 103, a member of the board of Louisiana [[PBS|Public Broadcasting]].​

Bankston became involved in a dispute in 1959 with [[Governor]] [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]] which led to Bankston's dismissal as the director of the State Department of Hospitals. Long's estranged wife, [[Blanche Long|Blanche Revere Long]], had committed her husband to the mental institution Southeast Louisiana Hospital in Mandeville in St. Tammany Parish. Long ordered Bankston, an otherwise loyal supporter, to discharge him, but Bankston refused because he believed that Long needed treatment; his recent behavior had been erratic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,825730,00.html |title=Invictus?|publisher=''[[Time magazine|Time]]''|date=undated}}</ref> With the affirmation of Lieutenant Governor [[Lether Frazar]], and state Attorney General [[Jack P. F. Gremillion]], Long fired Bankston and replaced him with a pliable supporter, who immediately took steps to release the governor from the hospital. During this confrontation, Bankston was also at the time at odds with his political ally, state Senator [[B. B. "Sixty" Rayburn]], a political powerhouse from Bogalusa in Washington Parish, who remained steadfast to Long.<ref>''Inside Northside Magazine,'' October/November 2003; material no longer on-line</ref>​

Bankston became involved in a dispute in 1959 with [[Governor]] [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]] which led to Bankston's dismissal as the director of the State Department of Hospitals. Long's estranged wife, [[Blanche Long|Blanche Revere Long]], had committed her husband to the mental institution Southeast Louisiana Hospital in Mandeville in St. Tammany Parish. Long ordered Bankston, an otherwise loyal supporter, to discharge him, but Bankston refused because he believed that Long needed treatment; his recent behavior had been erratic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,825730,00.html |title=Invictus?|publisher=''[[Time magazine|Time]]''|date=undated}}</ref> With the affirmation of Lieutenant Governor [[Lether Frazar]], and state Attorney General [[Jack P. F. Gremillion]], Long fired Bankston and replaced him with a pliable supporter, who immediately took steps to release the governor from the hospital. During this confrontation, Bankston was also at the time at odds with his political ally, state Senator [[B. B. "Sixty" Rayburn]], a political powerhouse from Bogalusa in Washington Parish, who remained steadfast to Long.<ref>''Inside Northside Magazine,'' October/November 2003; material no longer on-line</ref>​

==Background==

==Background==

Bankston was the last surviving of eleven children born to the former Allie Ames Magee (1876-1940) and Leon Victor Bankston (1869-1967) in Mount Hermon in Washington Parish west of the [[Mississippi]] state line. He was educated in public schools and received his Bachelor of Arts and [[Master of Arts]] degrees from [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]] in 1933 and 1936, respectively. He did further graduate work at the [[University of North Carolina]] in Chapel Hill, [[North Carolina]].<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=jesse-homer-bankston&pid=146841086|title=Obituary of Jesse Homer Bankston, Sr.|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=November 30, 2010|accessdate=December 1, 2010}}</ref>​

Bankston was the last surviving of eleven children born to the former Allie Ames Magee (1876-1940) and Leon Victor Bankston (1869-1967) in Mount Hermon in Washington Parish west of the [[Mississippi]] state line. He was educated in public schools and received his Bachelor of Arts and [[Master of Arts]] degrees from [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]] in 1933 and 1936, respectively. He did further graduate work at the [[University of North Carolina]] in Chapel Hill, [[North Carolina]].<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=jesse-homer-bankston&pid=146841086|title=Obituary of Jesse Homer Bankston, Sr.|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=November 30, 2010|accessdate=April 26, 2020}}</ref>​

Bankston married the former Ruth Paine (1918–1997), a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter R. Paine, Sr. She was a member of the East Baton Rouge Parish Democratic Executive Committee and was a delegate to two [[Democratic National Convention]]s. The Bankstons had a daughter, Shirley B. Newsham, and three sons, Dale Leon Bankston, Larry Stephen Bankston, and Jesse Bankston, Jr. Larry Bankston, an [[attorney]], served as a Democratic member of the Baton Rouge City-Parish Commission and as a state senator.​

Bankston married the former Ruth Paine (1918–1997), a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter R. Paine, Sr. She was a member of the East Baton Rouge Parish Democratic Executive Committee and was a delegate to two [[Democratic National Convention]]s. The Bankstons had a daughter, Shirley B. Newsham, and three sons, Dale Leon Bankston, Larry Stephen Bankston, and Jesse Bankston, Jr. Larry Bankston, an [[attorney]], served as a Democratic member of the Baton Rouge City-Parish Commission and as a state senator.​

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==Career==

==Career==

Oddly, Bankston began government service in 1940 under Governor [[Sam Houston Jones]], a staunch [[Earl Long|anti-Long]] political figure. Bankston was first a management consultant charged with reorganization of state government. In 1942, he became an organizational specialist in the Louisiana Civil Service Department established through the work of attorney [[Charles Dunbar]].

Oddly, Bankston began government service in 1940 under Governor [[Sam Houston Jones]], a staunch [[Earl Long|anti-Long]] political figure. Bankston was first a management consultant charged with reorganization of state government. In 1942, he became an organizational specialist in the Louisiana Civil Service Department established through the work of attorney [[Charles Dunbar]].

He opened a health-care consulting firm, Bankston and Associates. With the return of Governor Long in 1956, Bankston was appointed the director of the newly established Department of Hospitals, where he served until the 1959 dispute over Long's mental health. At that time, Bankston returned to his consulting business, which he maintained until 1990, when he turned eighty-three.<ref name=obit/>​

He opened a health-care consulting firm, Bankston and Associates. With the return of Governor Long in 1956, Bankston was appointed the director of the newly established Department of Hospitals, where he served until the 1959 dispute over Long's mental health. At that time, Bankston returned to his consulting business, which he maintained until 1990, when he turned eighty-three.<ref name=obit/>​

==Political life==

==Political life==

After going to Washington, Bankston said party officials contacted him and asked what they could do. Bankston said that he told them, "Nothing, you're too dad-blamed late."<ref name=sj/> Bankston said that Fitzmorris, Hardy, Henry, and Mouton "completely misjudged the wrath brought on by the party." Bankston predicted that future Louisiana Democrats eliminated in the nonpartisan blanket [[primary]] would not dare to endorse a Republican in a general election showdown.<ref name=sj/>​

After going to Washington, Bankston said party officials contacted him and asked what they could do. Bankston said that he told them, "Nothing, you're too dad-blamed late."<ref name=sj/> Bankston said that Fitzmorris, Hardy, Henry, and Mouton "completely misjudged the wrath brought on by the party." Bankston predicted that future Louisiana Democrats eliminated in the nonpartisan blanket [[primary]] would not dare to endorse a Republican in a general election showdown.<ref name=sj/>​

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==Personal life==

==Personal life==

​In addition to BESE and LPB, Bankston served on the boards of the [[Boy Scouts]],  [[Salvation Army]], [[YMCA]], and the [[United Way]]. He was a member of the Masonic lodge, the Sons of the American Revolution, and the American Hospital Association and its state equivalent. He was a member of the trustees of the Broadmoor [[Southern Baptist|Baptist]] Church in Baton Rouge.​

​In addition to BESE and LPB, Bankston served on the boards of the [[Boy Scouts]],  [[Salvation Army]], [[YMCA]], and the [[United Way]]. He was a member of the Masonic lodge, the Sons of the American Revolution, and the American Hospital Association and its state equivalent. He was a member of the trustees of the Broadmoor [[Southern Baptist|Baptist]] Church in Baton Rouge.​

Bankston died in Baton Rouge at the age of 103. His services were held on December 3, 2010, at Greenoaks Funeral Home Chapel in Baton Rouge. He is interred alongside his wife at Greenoaks Memorical Park.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62612923/jesse-homer-bankston|title=Jesse Homer Bankston, Sr.|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=April 26, 2020}}</ref>​

Bankston died in Baton Rouge at the age of 103. His services were held on December 3, 2010, at Greenoaks Funeral Home Chapel in Baton Rouge. He is interred alongside his wife at Greenoaks Memorical Park.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62612923/jesse-homer-bankston|title=Jesse Homer Bankston, Sr.|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=April 26, 2020}}</ref>​

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==References==

==References==

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