UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
 FORM 4
 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
( ) Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instructions 1(b).
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person Clay, Jr., John W.
303 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30308
USA
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
SunTrust Banks, Inc.
 STI
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary) 58-1575035
4. Statement for Month/Year April 1997
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) ( ) Director ( ) 10% Owner (X) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other
(specify below) CEO & Chairman, SunTrust Banks of Tennessee, Inc.
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) (X) Form filed by One Reporting Person ( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                 |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
1. Title of Security       |2.    |3.    |4.Securities Acquired (A)         |5.Amount of        |6.Dir |7.Nature of Indirect       |
                           | Transaction |  or Disposed of (D)              |  Securities       |ect   |  Beneficial Ownership     |
                           |      |      |                                  |  Beneficially     |(D)or |                           |
                           |      |    | |                  | A/|           |  Owned at         |Indir |                           |
                           | Date |Code|V|    Amount        | D |    Price  |  End of Month     |ect(I)|                           |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
Common Stock               |4/22/9|M   |V|4,400 shares      |A  |11.19      |                   |      |                           |
                           |7     |    | |                  |   |           |                   |      |                           |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
                           |4/22/9|F   |V|750 shares        |D  |48.37      |36,776 shares      |D     |                           |
                           |7     |    | |                  |   |           |                   |      |                           |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
                           |      |    | |                  |   |           |996 shares         |I     |Spouse                     |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
                           |      |    | |                  |   |           |6,351 shares       |I     |401(k)                     |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
                           |      |    | |                  |   |           |13,742 shares      |I     |(1)                        |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
                           |      |    | |                  |   |           |81,000 shares      |I     |(2)                        |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 Table II -- Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                   |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
1.Title of Derivative |2.Con-  |3.   |4.    |5.Number of De |6.Date Exer|7.Title and Amount  |8.Price|9.Number    |10.|11.Nature of|
  Security            |version |Transaction | rivative Secu |cisable and|  of Underlying     |of Deri|of Deriva   |Dir|Indirect    |
                      |or Exer |     |      | rities Acqui  |Expiration |  Securities        |vative |tive        |ect|Beneficial  |
                      |cise    |     |      | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/|                    |Secu   |Securities  |(D)|Ownership   |
                      |Price of|     |      | posed of(D)   |Day/Year)  |                    |rity   |Benefi      |or |            |
                      |Deriva- |     |      |               |Date |Expir|                    |       |ficially    |Ind|            |
                      |tive    |     |      |           | A/|Exer-|ation|   Title and Number |       |Owned at    |ire|            |
                      |Secu-   |     |    | |           | D |cisa-|Date |   of Shares        |       |End of      |ct |            |
                      |rity    |Date |Code|V|  Amount   |   |ble  |     |                    |       |Month       |(I)|            |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
Phantom Stock Units (3|1 for 1 |(3)  |    | |           |   |(3)  |(3)  |Common Stock|3,478  |(3)    |3,478       |D  |            |
)                     |        |     |    | |           |   |     |     |            |       |       |            |   |            |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Option (4)            |11.19   |4/22/|M   |V|4,400      |D  |11/14|11/14|Common Stock|4,400  |11.19  |4,400       |D  |            |
                      |        |97   |    | |           |   |/89  |/99  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Option (5)            |30.25   |     |    | |           |   |8/8/9|8/8/2|Common Stock|33,000 |       |33,000      |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |5    |004  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |     |     |            |       |       |            |   |            |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|	

Explanation of Responses:
(1) In trust for spouse (TUA Anne Campbell Clay).
(2) Restricted stock held under 1986 SunTrust Executive Stock Plan and 1995 SunTrust Executive Stock Plan. Subject to certain performance and/or vesting conditions. Restricted stock agreements contain tax withholding features allowing stock to be withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations. Both plans are exempt under Rule 16(b)-3.
(3) The reported phantom stock units were acquired at various times and prices under SunTrust Banks, Inc.'s 401(k) excess benefit plan and reflects the balance as of December 31, 1996.
(4) Granted pursuant to 1986 SunTrust Executive Stock Plan.
(5) This option becomes exercisable in 10% increments over 10 years or in the event of death, disability or change of control. This option was granted pursuant to the 1995 SunTrust Executive Stock Plan.

SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON

/s/ John W. Clay, Jr. by Raymond Fortin, Power of Attorney
DATE
May 2, 1997