Victory Credit Union, through adapting and mergers, has remained a community mainstay since 1946

In 2021, Truliant Federal Credit Union acquired the naming rights to the landmark Winston Tower in downtown Winston-Salem. Changing the name on the 30-story building elevated Truliant’s brand, but the credit union’s most significant deal in the city may have come 17 years earlier when it merged with Victory Masonic Mutual Credit Union, one of the oldest Black financial institutions in North Carolina.   History of Victory Credit Union  Founded by William M. Nesby and O.A. Brown, Victory Credit Union was chartered by the state on April 14, 1946. Both Nesby and Brown, agents at Winston Mutual Life Insurance Co., were concerned about the financial struggles of Black residents in the community and decided to act.   With just $52.25 in assets, Victory held its first meeting at Mount Zion Baptist Church. The original board members included Theodosia Simpson, J.D. Ashley, Mitchell Byrd, W.T. Holloway, Dr. J.C. Jordan, Robert A. Miller, Corrine Pickenpack, the Rev. Harry A. Smith, and R.D. Smith.   Although little was known about credit unions in the Black community at the time. Victory quickly gained a foothold. It’s been documented throughout history, and even today, that banks deny loans to Black applicants, so in more ways than one, Black...