Elaine Banks Battles, beloved mother, grandmother, cousin, friend and community leader, passed away on September 2, 2023, in New Haven, CT. She was born on September 24, 1932, in Georgia, with a deeply rooted Southern lineage reflected in her maiden name Banks, which 3 brothers took on when they sat by a river after gaining their freedom from slavery. Elaine’s upbringing in Albany, Georgia, surrounded by the warmth of family, instilled in her the values of compassion, resilience, and community service.
From her earliest days, Elaine was inspired by the remarkable women in her family. Her grandmother, a pioneering registered nurse in Savannah, served as a beacon of strength and dedication in a field where few women, especially African Americans, ventured at the time. She became the head nurse in the colored ward at the local hospital in Albany. Elaine’s mother, born in Savannah, and later settled in Philadelphia, continued this legacy of education, resilience, and community engagement. She started her career as a schoolteacher before earning a master’s degree in social work, a profession she embraced wholeheartedly.
From 8th through 12th grade, Elaine attended the Palmer Institute in Sedalia, North Carolina, a prestigious finishing school for African American young men and women. Under the guidance of Charlotte Hawkins Brown, Elaine thrived in an environment that nurtured intellect, grace, and leadership. She continued her education with fervor, graduating from Drexel University in 1954 with a degree in home economics.
