October 22–24 gathering intends to catalyze the national movement to create public banks in American cities, regions, and states; the October 24 public event and press conference features a costumed Colonial Town Crier reading the “Declaration of Financial Independence”
PHILADELPHIA – America’s local governments face increasingly challenging financial demands. Their reliance on Wall Street borrowing doubles project costs and extracts almost $200B in interest each year. These unsustainable realities will bring banking experts, policymakers, economists, and community advocates to Philadelphia October 22–24, 2026, for the national Public Banking, Public Prosperity Conference, hosted by the Public Banking Institute at Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street.
The three-day conference of national public banking leaders will explore proven banking alternatives to Wall Street dependency and examine current movement development strategies. Active in over 30 US markets, the drive for new public banks has accelerated in recent years following the 2008 banking crisis, the Occupy Wall Street phenomenon 15 years ago, and the current personal and civic financial crises.
Public banks worldwide have excelled at facilitating affordable housing, new technologies, infrastructure, small businesses, and local economic development, partnering with local community banks and credit unions to expand lines of community credit.
Featured at the conference will be Don Morgan, President and CEO of America’s only public bank, the Bank of North Dakota. As the most profitable bank in the country. Morgan will present how the bank operates and succeeds in an opening presentation on Friday, Oct. 23rd.
Chris Armitage of the influential Existentialist Republic blog will keynote the conference on Thursday, Oct. 22, along with presentations by Ralph Nader and other national figures.
A Philadelphia moment: Saturday, October 24, at 1:00 p.m.
Members of the media and the public are invited to a special gathering in the Friends Center Courtyard, beginning with a costumed Colonial Town Crier’s dramatic reading of a Declaration of Financial Independence, which calls for separating public money from private profiteering.
The program will continue with a presentation of Philadelphia’s public banking history and an introduction to Philadelphia’s new Beloved Community movement. The gathering draws from the city’s historic role in American independence with today’s efforts to give communities a greater voice in how their public resources are invested
This portion of the event is open to everyone. The courtyard program is expected to last less than 30 minutes and offers television and photo coverage opportunities.
The Philadelphia location and the historical relevance of the struggle to conserve, invest, and protect public dollars from exploitative profiteering by private global banks underpins the conference’s mission. As the national movement for public bank grows in depth and breadth, Philadelphia once again becomes a landmark for origination, this time with the question being: How can public money help build lasting public prosperity?
EVENT DETAILS
Conference: Public Banking, Public Prosperity, A Declaration of Financial Independence
Dates: Thursday–Saturday, October 22–24, 2026
Location: Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia
Public press event: Saturday, October 24, at 1:00 p.m., Friends Center Courtyard
Conference information and registration: www.publicbankinginstitute.org
Admission: Registration is required for the conference; no registration is required for the Saturday courtyard event.
Online coverage: The conference will be streamed on YouTube and Facebook
ABOUT THE PUBLIC BANKING INSTITUTE
The Public Banking Institute is a nonpartisan research, education, and advocacy organization dedicated to advancing public banking in the United States. It supports efforts to establish publicly owned banks that serve community needs and operate in the public interest.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Walt McRee, President/Chair – Public Banking Institute
gro.etutitsnigniknabcilbupnull@tlaW
cell/text: 828-773-6462