UNITED STATES
                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMSSION
                     Washington, D.C.  20549

                           FORM 10-QSB

          QUARTERLY REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
               THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

          For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2000

                 Commission file number 0-12425

                    Citizens Bancshares, Inc.
              (Exact name of small business issuer
                  as specified in its charter)

           Louisiana                        72-0759135
(State of other jurisdiction of           (IRS Employer
incorporation or organization)        Identification Number)

          841 West Main Street, Ville Platte, LA  70586
            (Address of principal executive offices)

Issuer's telephone number, including area code: 337-363-5643

State  the  number of shares outstanding of each of the  issuer's
classes of common equity, as of the latest practicable date:

      Class of          Number of Shares
    Common Equity          Outstanding             As of

    Common stock,            114,855           March 31, 2000
    $5 Par Value

            CITIZENS BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY


                                CONTENTS

PART I.  FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet - March 31, 2000

Condensed  Consolidated  Statements of Income  and  Comprehensive
Income - Three months ended March 31, 2000 and 1999

Condensed  Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows -  Three  months
ended March 31, 2000 and 1999

Note to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

Management's  Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition  and
Results of Operations

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1.  Legal Proceedings

Item 6.  Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K
PART I.  FINANCIAL INFORMATION

            CITIZENS BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
        CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET (UNAUDITED)
                         MARCH 31, 2000
                    (In thousands of dollars)

ASSETS
Cash and due from banks                                $3,166
Federal funds sold                                      9,755
  Cash & cash equivalents                              12,921
Interest-bearing deposits with banks                    4,656
Securities available for sale, at fair values          29,488
Securities held to maturity                             9,577
Loans receivable, net of allowance for loan
  losses of $1,059                                     60,530
Premises and equipment                                  2,975
Other assets                                            2,145
  Total assets                                       $122,292

LIABILITIES
Demand deposits                                       $13,101
Savings, NOW and money-market deposits                 22,978
Time deposits $100,000 and more                        24,896
Other time deposits                                    49,184
  Total deposits                                      110,159
Accrued expenses and other liabilities                    896
  Total liabilities                                   111,055

SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Common Stock $5 par value, 300,000 shares
  authorized, 115,000 shares issued and
  outstanding                                             575
Additional paid-in capital                                825
Treasury stock at cost, 145 shares                        (6)
Retained earnings                                      10,340
Accumulated other comprehensive income                  (497)
  Total shareholders' equity                           11,237
  Total liabilities and shareholders' equity         $122,292
            CITIZENS BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
           CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
              AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (UNAUDITED)
            THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2000 & 1999
        (In thousands of dollars, except per share data)

                                           2000        1999
Interest income
  Loans receivable                          $1,356       $1,226
  Taxable securities                           447          384
  Tax-exempt securities                        101           90
  Federal funds sold                           150          115
  Deposits with banks                           73           69
    Total interest income                    2,127        1,884

Interest expense
  Savings, NOW & money-market deposits         107           84
  Time deposit $100,000 and more               406          347
  Other time deposits                          656          631
    Total interest expense                   1,169        1,062

Net interest income                            958          822
Provision for loan losses                       30           20
  Net interest income after provision
    for loan losses                            928          802

Non-interest income                            196          178

Non-interest expense
  Salaries and employee benefits               343          329
  Other expense                                302          285
    Total non-interest expense                 645          614

Income before income taxes                     479          366
Income tax expense                             107          102

Net income                                    $372         $264

Other comprehensive income, net of           (153)         (36)

Comprehensive income                          $219         $228

Net income per share of common stock         $3.24        $2.30
            CITIZENS BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
   CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED)
           THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2000 AND 1999
                    (In thousands of dollars)

                                           2000        1999
Cash flows from operating activities
  Net income                                  $372         $264
  Adjustments to reconcile net income
    to net cash provided by operating
    activities                                 264          253
      Net cash provided by operating
        activities                             636          517

Cash flows from investing activities
  Maturities and calls of securities            70        1,705
  Purchases of securities                  (4,816)      (4,502)
  Net decrease/(increase) in interest-
    bearing deposits with banks                594         (10)
  Net (increase)/decrease in loans         (1,030)          489
  Purchases of premises and equipment         (13)        (175)
    Net cash (used) by investing
      activities                           (5,195)      (2,493)

Cash flows from financing activities
  Net increase in deposits                   8,832        6,677
    Net cash provided by financing
      activities                             8,832        6,677

Net increase in cash and cash
  equivalents                                4,273        4,701
Cash and cash equivalents at
  beginning of year                          8,648        8,482

Cash and cash equivalents at
  end of period                             12,921       13,183

Income taxes paid                                -            -

Interest paid                                1,210        1,087

Foreclosed real estate acquired in
  satisfaction of loans                        288            -
            CITIZENS BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTE TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The  interim  financial statements are prepared pursuant  to  the
requirements for reporting on Form 10-QSB. The interim  financial
statements  and notes thereto should be read in conjunction  with
the  financial  statements and notes included  in  the  Company's
latest  annual  report  on  Form  10-KSB.   In  the  opinion   of
management,   the  interim  financial  statements   reflect   all
adjustments  of a normal recurring nature necessary  for  a  fair
statement of the results for interim periods.  The current period
results  of operations are not necessarily indicative of  results
which  ultimately  will  be reported for  the  full  year  ending
December 31, 2000.
            CITIZENS BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

          MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL
               CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

GENERAL STATEMENT

For  a comprehensive review of financial condition and results
of operations of Citizens Bancshares, Inc. (the Company), this
discussion  and  analysis should be reviewed  along  with  the
information  and financial statements presented  elsewhere  in
this  report.  The Company is a one-bank holding company whose
sole subsidiary is Citizens Bank, Ville Platte, Louisiana (the
Bank).

Citizens Bank, Ville Platte, Louisiana is a commercial banking
institution formed in 1975 under the banking laws of the State
of  Louisiana.  The bank operates a main office located in the
City  of  Ville  Platte, Louisiana and  also  operates  branch
facilities in the Town of Mamou, Louisiana and the Village  of
Pine  Prairie,  Louisiana.  The Bank offers a  full  range  of
traditional  commercial  banking services,  including  demand,
savings, and time deposits, consumer, commercial, agriculture,
and  real  estate loans, safe-deposit boxes, two  credit  card
plans,  VISA and MASTERCARD.  Drive-in facilities are  located
at all banking locations with ATM service at the main office.

FINANCIAL CONDITION

Total  assets of the Company increased by $9,085,000 or 8.03%,
from  $113,207,000  at December 31, 1999  to  $122,292,000  at
March 31, 2000.  The increase is attributed to an increase  in
loans and deposits.

Earning  assets,  which include loans, investment  securities,
federal funds sold, and deposits in other banks were 93.23% of
total assets at March 31, 2000.

Loans  showed an increase of $1,688,000 or 2.87% at March  31,
2000.   There  was an increase in securities of $3,596,000  or
10.14% at March 31, 2000.

The  Bank maintains an allowance for loan losses against which
impaired  or uncollectible loans are charged.  The balance  in
the  allowance  for loan losses was $1,059,000  at  March  31,
2000,  which  represents 1.72% of total loans  outstanding  on
that date.  Provisions to the allowance for loan losses, which
were  charged  to  net income as of March  31,  2000,  totaled
$30,000.  Management evaluates the adequacy of  the  allowance
for  loan losses on a monthly basis by monitoring the  balance
in   total   loans  as  well  as  the  past  due,  nonaccrual,
classified,  and other problem loans.  On the  basis  of  this
evaluation,  the  allowance  for  loan  losses  is  considered
adequate  to  meet possible future charges for losses  in  the
existing loan portfolio.  At March 31, 2000, past due loans to
total loans were 1.56%.

With interest earned on investment securities being one of the
primary sources of income, investment securities increased  by
$3,596,000  or 10.14% at March 31, 2000.  The following  chart
shows what our portfolio is made up of as of March 31, 2000:

     U.S. Government Agencies           47.69%
     Mortgage-Backed Securities         30.83%
     Municipal Securities                    21.48%

At  of  March  31,  2000, securities classified  as  "held  to
maturity"  had an amortized cost/recorded value of  $9,577,000
and  a  fair  value  of $9,420,000; securities  classified  as
"available  for sale" had a fair value of $29,488,000  and  an
amortized cost of $30,241,000.

With  deposits being the Bank's primary source of funds,  both
time  and demand, total deposits increased $8,832,000 or 8.72%
from  $101,327,000  at December 31, 1999  to  $110,159,000  at
March 31, 2000.  Money-market accounts increased by $3,219,000
or 79.80%.

The  primary  functions of asset/liability management  are  to
assure  adequate liquidity and maintain an appropriate  spread
between    interest-earning   assets   and    interest-bearing
liabilities.   Liquidity management involves  the  ability  to
meet  cash  flow requirements of customers who may  be  either
depositors  wanting  to withdraw funds  or  borrowers  needing
assurance  that  sufficient funds will be  available  to  meet
their  credit  needs.  Major elements of  the  Bank's  overall
liquidity management capabilities and financial resources  are
(1)  core deposits, (2) closely managed maturity structure  of
loans and deposits, (3) sale and maturity of assets (primarily
investment  securities), and, if necessary, (4) extensions  of
credit, including federal funds purchased and securities  sold
under  repurchase agreements.  With the Bank's asset/liability
management  program,  most loan and  deposit  changes  can  be
anticipated  without an adverse impact on earnings.  At  March
31, 2000, the Bank's liquidity ratio was 41.16%.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

For the first quarter of 2000, the Company reported net income
of  $372,000 or $3.24 per average share.  Net return on assets
was 1.24% and net return on equity was 13.37%.

Net  interest  income  is the Company's  principal  source  of
revenue  and  is  measured by the difference between  interest
income  earned  on loans and investments and interest  expense
incurred  on  deposits.  At March 31,  2000,  the  Bank's  net
interest  margin was 3.28%, a slight increase from  March  31,
1999,  which at that time the net interest margin  was  3.12%.
Net  interest income increased $136,000, or 16.55% in 2000  to
$958,000  compared to $822,000 at March 31, 1999.  The  reason
for  such increase was $243,000 or 12.90% increase in interest
income  which was offset by a $107,000 or 10.08%  increase  in
interest expense.

Non-interest  income,  which  consists  primarily  of  service
charges  and fees on financial services increased  $18,000  or
10.12% in comparing March 31, 2000 to March 31, 1999.  Service
charges on deposit accounts increased by $11,000 or 8.34%.

Non-interest expense includes salaries and employee  benefits,
occupancy  and  equipment expense, and  other  expense.   Non-
interest  expense amounted to $645,000 at March  31,  2000,  a
$31,000  or 5.05% increase from March 31, 1999.  Salaries  and
employee benefits being the main expense showed an increase of
$14,000 or 4.26%.

CAPITAL ADEQUACY

Primary  capital (shareholders' equity plus a portion  of  the
allowance  for  loan losses) as a percent  of  adjusted  total
assets  is  one  of the standard measures of capital  adequacy
used  by  bank regulators.  This and other measurement  ratios
serve  as  the  underlying  basis for  evaluating  the  Bank's
capital adequacy and for determining the Bank's insurance fund
deposit  assessment charges.  At March 31,  2000,  the  Bank's
ratios were as follows:

             Risk Based Capital    18.65%
             Tier 1 Capital        17.39%
             Leverage Ratio         9.19%

To  be categorized as well capitalized, the Bank must maintain
a total risk-based capital ratio of 10% or higher, Tier 1 risk-
based  capital  ratio  of 6% or higher, and  leverage  capital
ratio of 5% or higher.
PART II.  OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1.  Legal Proceedings

Legal  proceedings involving the Bank are limited to  proceedings
arising  from  normal  business activities,  none  of  which  are
considered material.

Item 6.  Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

(a) Exhibits -      (3)(ii) By-laws of Citizens Bancshares,
                     Inc., amended in March, 2000

                    (27) Financial Data Schedule

(b)  The Company has not filed any reports on Form 8-K during the
quarter ended March 31, 2000.
                           SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934,  the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


CITIZENS BANCSHARES, INC.

CARL W. FONTENOT
PRESIDENT & CEO

WAYNE VIDRINE
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT-TREASURER