Welcome to the Supporters of Durham 150 newsletter, designed to keep those interested in Durham’s sesquicentennial updated on all the planning activities surrounding the yearlong commemoration.

 

Durham 150 Merchandise is Here!

Since the debut of Durham 150 merchandise at the Opening Celebration, we’ve been asked by locals and visitors alike how to get a t-shirt or hat of their own. We’re pleased to share the Durham 150 online merchandise store with you: durham150.org/store. More items will be added, but for now, we encourage you to stock up on the t-shirts, hats and stickers already available. There’s also a selection of merchandise for sale in the Visitor Info Center (212 W. Main Street) if you’d prefer to pick out your swag in person.

Are you a Durham-based retailer interested in selling merchandise out of your storefront? We’ll have a portal ready for you to get bulk merchandise at wholesale prices soon. If you would like to express interest in advance, please let Gineen Cargo, Durham 150 project manager, know.

 

Taking a Moment to Thank our Sponsors

In our last email, we thanked Duke Energy for their contributions to the Atwater-Ellis Dinner Series.

In the last month, The Duke Endowment has jumped in and contributed as a Washington Duke-level sponsor. The Duke Endowment is a private foundation based in Charlotte that seeks to fulfill the visionary genius and innovative legacy of James Buchanan Duke by helping people and strengthening communities in North Carolina and South Carolina. In doing so, it focuses on nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds, and enriching spirits. The Duke Endowment’s contributions will enable Durham 150 to achieve our mission and vision.

You can find a list of Durham 150 sponsors on our website.

 

Upcoming Durham 150 Events

There are a host of significant events coming up for people of all ages and walks of life. Many are free and designed to help us all learn more about Durham’s past, present, and future. Find a searchable listing of all events here.

Tapestry Tours by Brown Hat Tours
Durham 150 Grantee
May 24, 2019
5-6 p.m.
FREE
Major The Bull, 237 Corcoran Street, Durham, NC 27701

Durham Opus 150: An Ode to the Bull City
May 28, 2019

7-8 p.m.
FREE
NCCU Ruth Edwards Music Hall
698 E. Lawson St #500, Durham, NC 27707

Bull City 150: The Schools We All Deserve: The Struggle for Educational Equity in Durham, NC
Durham 150 Grantee
May 31, 2019
6-8 p.m.
FREE
WG Pearson Center
600 E. Umstead St, Durham, NC 27701

15th Annual Beaver Queen Pageant

June 1, 2019

Pre-Pageant 4:00 p.m., Pageant 5 p.m.

FREE

Duke Park 106 W Knox St, Durham, NC 27701

POINT4HEALTH
Durham 150 Grantee
June 1, 2019
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
FREE
Chapel Hill Road and Whitcomb Street

The Bull City Benefit Gala
June 1, 2019
7-11 p.m.
Millennium Hotel
2800 Campus Walk Avenue, Durham, NC 27705

The Great Durham Odyssey
Durham 150 Grantee
June 2, 2019
11 a.m.
FREE
The Durham Hotel
315 E. Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701

Annual Black Music Month Celebration & Fundraiser
June 2, 2019
4 p.m.
B.N. Duke Auditorium
1851 Fayetteville St, Durham, NC 27707

Swingin At Minnie Tee’s
Durham 150 Grantee
June 7, 2019
6-8 p.m.
$10 General Admission, $5 Children, Ages 6-12
Hayti Heritage Center
804 Old Fayetteville St, Durham, NC 27701

 

Historical Note

As we’ve moved past the rush of finals and excitement of commencement ceremonies (and with mention of James Buchanan Duke in this email already), we thought we’d touch on the early foundation of higher education in this newsletter.

In 1892, Trinity College moved from Randolph County to Durham. Washington Duke and Julian Carr donated money and land to facilitate the move. Following a $40 million donation by Washington Duke’s son, James Buchanan Duke, Trinity College expanded into Duke University in 1924. We recently unearthed a photo of Teddy Roosevelt speaking at Trinity College in 1905.

Eighteen years later, in 1910, Dr. James E. Shepard, a Durham pharmacist and religious educator, opened the National Religious Training School and Chautauqua for the Colored Race. The school later became North Carolina Central University, the nation’s first public liberal arts institution for African Americans. This initiative — establishing a black school through black initiative — took place when race relations in the South were abysmal.

Fast forward more than fifty years later, and Durham Industrial Technical Institute (now Durham Technical Community College) formed, which quickly became a charter member of the NC Community College System. Its focus is one- and two-year career and technical programs as well as academic transfer programs to four-year colleges and universities.

Durham has been fortunate to have so many excellent post-secondary options for its residents.

Do you have a friend, family member or colleague who would be interested in receiving these Durham 150 newsletters? Let them know they can subscribe to updates on Durham 150 here.

 

Sincerely,

Shelly Green & Patrick Mucklow
Co-Chairs, Durham 150