By james art The group first stopped at the Durham Bull and Durham’s Black Wall Street, where they walked Parrish Street, visited the former site of the NC Mutual Life Insurance building, and learned about Durham’s deep-rooted history of black entrepreneurship and community resilience.
Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and watch engaging theater skits embodying local historical figures and embodying inanimate forces, such as the creation of Highway 147 that divided the city in the early 1960s.
Throughout the morning, participants explored the themes of urban renewal, black entrepreneurship, and the importance of storytelling and commemoration in downtown Durham. The bus went through the troubled West End and made stops at the Haitian Heritage Center and the Pauley Murray Center.
The day ended at the Durham Civil Rights Mural on Morris Street with a call-and-response song highlighting the vibrant history of black culture in Durham.
“There is a sensitivity and a set of empathy that we must constantly bring to our communications as we tell the Duke story,” said Frank Trumble, Duke’s vice president of marketing and communications. “I appreciate the leadership [so] many of you provide just by being here. This ensures that empathy shines through in our storytelling and that the Duke University we all love and serve can continue to build and strengthen connections in our community.”
Learn more about the Duke Diversity Action Alliance at communicators.duke.edu/daa or contact Andrew Park ([email protected]) or Camille Jackson ([email protected]).
