William banks biography
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Reflecting on his storied career, he expressed gratitude for the opportunities and experiences that boxing had bestowed upon him, as well as the invaluable life lessons learned along the way.
While his retirement marked the end of an era, William Banks' legacy lives on. His observations and actions on class solidarity to transcend racial divisions, while at the same time recognizing the intersections of race and class through his targeted outreach of uplift to African Americans as a labor lawyer and later as a media mogul remains instructive as well.
Moreover, his particular story forms part of a larger "hidden history" of struggle and self-determination, in which the working class radical left, including the African Americans allied with or part of the Communist Party, has fought for racial and economic equality and justice.
This concludes a three-part series of posts about the “oral history heroes” encountered by Rebecca Bizonet in her work as Oral History Project Archivist.
In January 2017, a museum run by the WGPR-TV Historical Society opened on the site of the original station, on East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, complete with a Michigan historical marker.
Connecting the dots in this way enriched Dr. Banks’ story for me, complicating the narrative of the crusading labor attorney. In addition to all of these accomplishments, he was also known as an advocate for labor.
These setbacks, combined with personal issues outside the ring, hampered his ability to maintain his dominance.
Despite these adversities, Banks remained undeterred, displaying incredible resilience throughout his career. His hard-hitting style and relentless determination made him a formidable opponent in the ring, leaving fighters both intimidated and spellbound.
Though no mention of his media ownership made it into his oral history interview (nor had the conference panelists mentioned his labor affiliation), I wondered if it could be the same William V. Banks. He founded INSCT/SPL in 2003, and he became the first College of Law Board of Advisors Distinguished Professor in 2008.
Among his public service appointments, Banks has served as a special counsel to the U.S.
Senate Judiciary Committee (for the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court nominee Stephen G. Breyer); on the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security; as a member of the InfraGard National Members Alliance Board of Advisors; on the Advisory Council for the Perpetual Peace Project; on the executive board of the International Counter-Terrorism Academic Community (ICTAC); as an editorial board member at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism in The Hague, the Netherlands; and as a Distinguished Fellow of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University.
With a fierce determination and unwavering focus, Banks quickly rose through the ranks, garnering attention for his explosive power and lightning-fast reflexes.
Stepping into the professional boxing scene in his early twenties, Banks wasted no time in making his mark. In 1998, he was appointed a professor of public administration and international affairs in Syracuse Univsersity’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and he was named a Laura J.
and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence in the same year. 1974; M.S. 1982), Banks joined the faculty of the Syracuse University College of Law in 1978. In fact, WGPR TV and radio became launching grounds for the careers of many African American broadcasters.
Panelists who had worked at the station recounted its history and Dr. Banks’ vision as its founder. One of the collections I was describing was the Briggs Strike Oral Histories, an oral history project undertaken in 1975 by a Wayne State University graduate student to help document and understand this pivotal 1933 strike. A teacher at Syracuse University for more than 38 years, under his leadership, INSCT/SPL has risen from its inception in 2003 to become a recognized leader in research and education on national and international security and terrorism.
A highly regarded and internationally recognized scholar, topics of Banks’ wide-ranging research include national security and counterterrorism law; laws of war and asymmetric warfare; drones and targeted killing; transnational crime and corruption; cybersecurity, cyberespionage, and cyber conflict; human security; emergency and war powers; emergency preparedness and response; prosecuting terrorists; civilian-military relations; and government surveillance and privacy.
He is perhaps best known as the founder of the United States’ first Black-owned and operated television station, WGPR-TV 62, and its sister radio station, WGPR-FM. His unforgettable battles and unwavering spirit continue to inspire a new generation of fighters, reminding them that true greatness lies in the ability to rise each time you fall.
As we look back at the remarkable career of William Banks, "The Warrior," we are reminded of the relentless pursuit of excellence and the indomitable human spirit that defines the sport of boxing.
Showcasing an enviable combination of skill and aggression, he rattled off an impressive string of victories, leaving opponents in awe of his ferocity. A bit of online research was enough to confirm they were one and the same.