The Legacy of "Black Wall Street"
Parrish Street in Durham, North Carolina, was a national symbol of Black progress. The Black Financial district in Durham four blocks of economic power located in predominately White, downtown Durham. It was known as “Black Wall Street” . Hayti, Durham’s primary African-American residential district, was the core of Black life in Durham.
Over 200 Black-owned and operated business existed in Durham’s black business district. W.E.B. DuBois, upon visiting Durham in the early 1900’s, reflected in his writings on the uniquely tolerant relationship between Blacks and Whites. Some of the richest Blacks in America at the time, lived in Durham. There are valuable lessons to be learned from their experiences, for the benefit of generations to come.
In an effort to define The Legacy of Black America, we chose as a model, the Black Durham Experience in the city’s first 100 years. With the help of local historians, oral histories and historic archives, we are hard at work creating what we hope will serve as an educational reference and social cultural history resource. This is not just kicking up the dirt where a community once stood. Our film is about the historic upbuilding of this remarkable community, the destruction and the spirit of Hayti that lives on today.
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