John M. Manning

John M. Manning (1857-1933),, a physician and county health official, served as Durham Mayor 1921-1931.

He is the likely namesake for Manning Place. During his administration, the city built the Durham Auditorium (Carolina Theatre) and relocated its offices to the former Central High School on Morris Street.

Manning was a strong promoter of public sanitation, advocating unsuccessfully for a city sewer system in the 1890s. After a 1915 federal law restricted sale and use of narcotics, he established a public clinic for morphine addicts that was quickly overwhelmed by need for its services and closed. He was subsequently prosecuted for breaking the narcotics law, but acquitted in the face of public outcry.

Streets
Manning Place