2 chapters across the catalog
Professor Robert Durden provides historical context on the Duke family's independent streak, noting that Washington Duke became a Republican during Reconstruction—a highly unpopular move in the post-Civil War South. The family's wealth, built on tobacco, was used to fund Trinity College (later Duke University) and various benevolent causes, often to maintain stable relations with their black labor force.
The Duke family's philanthropic efforts are detailed, including the admission of women to Trinity College on equal footing and the establishment of Lincoln Hospital for African Americans. The hosts discuss "Buck" Duke's vision for the Duke Endowment, which focused on building non-profit community hospitals and supporting the Methodist Church as a means of regional development and social control.
