Biography
Ganzie Banks was a Black coal miner prosecuted after the May 5, 1931 Battle of Evarts during the Harlan County, Kentucky strike. He was held first in Harlan and then in Winchester while facing a murder charge. In December 1931, Banks, E. Philips, Andrew Hinch and Henry Oliver wrote from jail to the International Labor Defense, asking for help having their clothes cleaned before trial. Banks was subsequently convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to three years. The International Labor Defense included him in its prisoner-support campaigns.
The September 11, 1931 report published September 12 individually names five Black Harlan miners awaiting first-degree-murder proceedings in the county jail. The front page prints Harry Oliver, while the continuation prints Henry Oliver with the same cohort; this is retained as a source variant rather than a second prisoner. The account confirms ongoing jail without supplying individual intake, physical release or complete duration. Its trial forecasts and death-penalty threats are not completed proceedings. Source: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1931/v08-n220-NY-sep-12-1931-DW-LOC.pdf#page=1
The New Leader, April 2, 1932, page 10, individually names Ganzie Banks among nine Evarts coal-strike defendants confined in Clark County jail at Winchester, Kentucky, facing proceedings over mine guard Jim Daniels' death in the May 5 battle. It says the miners had been confined since the battle, at Harlan and then Winchester after a change of venue granted by Judge D. C. Jones. It announces trial for the coming Monday before Circuit Judge D. S. Shackelford and appeals for General Defense Committee funds to bring defense witnesses from Harlan. This is contemporary pretrial custody and defense evidence, not a completed trial, death sentence or release. The battle date is not automatically each defendant's individual arrest day. Later outcomes remain preserved. Source: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/new-leader/1932/v13n14-apr-02-1932-NL.pdf
