Michelle Purnell-Hepburn, VP / Controller

Michelle Purnell-Hepburn like her parents before her works in banking. Her family had an outsized impact on the Central Area through the Liberty Bank, black-owned and community supported it was the first African American bank in Seattle

Photo: Madeline Crowley

...here we come, these few people wanting to start a minority-owned bank. I just think the powers that be were not quite prepared for that at that time.  

About Michelle:

Michelle Purnell-Hepburn has spent her life in financial institutions, literally learning at her father's knee, then working at the Liberty Bank when young. The Liberty Bank was the first African-American owned bank at that time west of the Mississippi. It is an important part of Central Area history. 

This interview is now available in the book, We Lived Here, published by Chin Music Press: https://chinmusicpress.bigcartel.com/product/we-lived-here-stories-from-seattle-s-central-area

Your parents contributed to an important part of Central Area history, they were part of the Liberty Bank.

Well, the Liberty Bank of Seattle was a dream of my father. He wanted African-Americans to have the ability to create their own destiny. 

Liberty Bank. Mr. Gould, Rev. McKinney, Dr. Jackson. Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

Liberty Bank. Interior. Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

Liberty Bank. Original Application. Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

Liberty Bank. Telegram. Refusal of Charter. Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

Liberty Bank. Dr. Jackson. Mr. Purnell (right). Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

Liberty Bank. Opening Day. Mayor Braman. Gov. Evans. Mardine Purnell. Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

Liberty Bank. Interior. Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

Liberty Bank. Opening Day Ceremony. Employees on a crowded sidewalk. Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

Liberty Bank. The first employees. Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

Liberty Bank. First Transaction. Teller Patrinell Wright. Customer Councilman Sam Smith.
Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

Liberty Bank. Board. Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

Liberty Bank. First Day's Customers. Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

Liberty Bank. Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

Liberty Bank. Transacting Business. Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

Liberty Bank. Councilman Sam Smith. Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

Liberty Bank. Staff. Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

Liberty Bank. First Customers. Collection Michelle Purnell-Hepburn

(I learned of Liberty Bank via the Central District News supplemented this with research and found Michelle Purnell-Hepburn)

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This project was supported in part by
4Culture's Heritage Projects program