Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1989-04-23

Duration: 00:27:50

Subjects: Banking Industry | African American banks | African American business enterprises

Contributors:

• Masingale, Sonya Host
• Boston, Carlos Interviewee
• Godfrey, Wesley Interviewee
• Dyas, Pat Interviewee
• Nicholson, Collie J. Interviewee
• Ferdinand, Larry Interviewee
• Huckaby, Hilry, III Interviewee
• Walker, Sam Interviewee
• Renfro, Mel Interviewee

This episode of the series “Folks” from April 23, 1989, focuses on African American financial institutions and the banking industry. Sonya Masingale profiles Security National Bank, an African American-owned bank in Shreveport, Louisiana. She interviews: Carlos Boston, senior vice president; Wesley Godfrey, chairman of the board; Pat Dyas, Collie J. Nicholson, Larry Ferdinand, and Hilry Huckaby III, customers. Next, Masingale reports that First Federal Savings and Loan in Baton Rouge has been taken over by the FDIC. She then presents a rebroadcast of Rob Hinton’s 1983 profile of First Federal. Lastly, Masingale conducts an in-studio interview with Sam Walter, the assistant vice president of Premier Bank in Baton Rouge, and Mel Renfro, the vice president of Hibernia Bank in Baton Rouge. They discuss: FDIC takeovers; bank failures in the oil producing states, including Louisiana; the importance of smaller banks finding their niche in the community to stay competitive; the impact of the deregulation of the banking industry; and the reasons why some minority businesses experience difficulties in securing bank loans.