About the African American Heritage Guide

Black history is Durham's history, and this guide knits together the stories of those who shaped the city's earliest days with the voices of today. Through narrative storytelling and first-person accounts from the perspectives of more than a dozen local writers, poets and artists, this guide begins a conversation meant to inspire curiosity and the desire to learn and experience more of Black Durham.

Meet the Project Lead

Discover Durham staff worked closely with 2023 NC Piedmont Poet Laureate Dasan Ahanu to select stories and recruit local artists to build a guide that thoughtfully represents Durham's Black community and history. Dasan's leadership shaped this guide into a community-driven collaboration that introduces visitors to Durham's vibrant, diverse, welcoming and fiercely proud Black culture and history. Hear Dasan talk about the process in our podcast episode about the guide.

Step into Durham, North Carolina—a city alive with African American history, heritage, creativity and innovation. Here, the brilliance of the Black community is impossible to overlook. The courage and beauty permeating this place are a testament to the resilience, imagination, and triumph woven into the very fabric of Durham, making its place in the Black South indisputable.

Embarking on a journey through Durham's cultural landscape is to delve into the captivating story of African Americans who have shaped and enriched this community for generations. Durham has stood as a beacon of hope and opportunity for African Americans, providing a platform for them to be, have, and express themselves. The contributions of Black individuals are not just significant; they are the very essence of what Durham represents to the world.

Now, you can't capture that essence in any document or project. What you can do is begin to tell a story that celebrates the indomitable spirit that has overcome adversity and forged a legacy of innovation and cultural significance—recognizing that every corner of Durham bears witness to the enduring legacy of African American impact.

This guide introduces you to Black Durham. From the iconic Hayti Heritage Center to the bustling streets of Parrish Street, once known as "Black Wall Street," you will encounter stories of resilience, achievement, and empowerment that have left an indelible mark on Durham's collective identity. It opens the door to Black Durham, welcoming you in and encouraging you to search for more: this is part documentation and part love letter, a recognition of how exceptional Black Durham is.

The guide was only possible with the fantastic contributors who helped shape it. Their work provides a deeper insight into Durham's African American legacy and presence. The artwork on the cover, the stories inside, the poetry, and the insights came from Black brilliance. I am grateful that these contributors answered the call. We needed to highlight their talent as part of this work. We need to include their voices. I am happy to add them to the conversation about Black Durham.

As you navigate this guide, you will be immersed in the sights, sounds, and flavors of African American culture in Durham. Each section is designed to deepen your understanding of Durham's diverse tapestry and provide an experience that is both enlightening and enriching. This is just the beginning of your journey. There is so much more to discover. So much more to explore. There are resources available, people ready to share their knowledge, and organizations waiting to welcome you. Let this guide be your catalyst to seek them out. Let it ignite your curiosity. Let it be the reason you get lost in all Durham has to offer, to teach you.

Meet the Guide's Contributors

The printed guide includes abridged versions of the stories the guide's writers crafted. There's much more to learn from the full versions of each piece, which are linked below. The writers, storytellers and artists are listed in order of appearance in the guide.

Building the Guide

The team behind this guide worked hard to build a proud representation of Black Durham for locals and an introduction to newcomers. It is intended to spark a conversation locally and help inspire visitors to explore more of Durham.

To start, we wanted to hear from Durham's Black community. We sat for listening sessions with more than a dozen leaders of the cultural institutions, businesses and organizations included on these pages. We dreamed big about where this project could go and talked about what we could include in this first iteration to make everyone involved proud.

From these listening sessions, we prioritized stories that illustrate Durham's character through visitor-friendly sites and attractions. We then worked with the contributors listed above to tell these stories through their eyes.

Our aim is for this to be a proud representation of Durham – one that conveys our city's importance in Black history and helps visitors see themselves here in our welcoming and vibrant community. We can't wait to see it grow and evolve.