Dr. Bowman Banks House 1905

The Dr. John Bowman Banks Museum, also known as the John Banks House, was the home of Natchez’s first black physician and played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s. Established as a museum in 2020, it offers visitors a comprehensive view of Natchez’s history, highlighting community life in the early 20th century as well as the struggles and achievements of the Civil Rights era. Dr. John Bowman Banks (1862–1911) began practicing medicine in Natchez in 1889 and later recruited the city’s second African American doctor, Albert Woods Dumas. Together, they founded the Bluff City Savings Bank, the only African American-owned bank in Natchez at the time, demonstrating their commitment to economic empowerment and community development.

During the 1960s, the Banks House became a central hub for the NAACP, with Charles Evers, the Mississippi NAACP Field Director and brother of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers, using the house to organize and advance the civil rights movement in Natchez. Today, the museum preserves and shares this rich history, educating visitors about the lives, achievements, and struggles of African Americans in Natchez. By visiting the Dr. John Banks House, guests can experience an important journey through time, gaining insight into both the personal legacy of Dr. Banks and the broader historical significance of the civil rights era in the region.