Duke, Basketball and C.B. Claiborne
The wealth generated by Danville and Durham's tobacco industries simultaneously occurred with the growth of Black communities in the Piedmont region, tied to sharecropping and working in the tobacco factories.The Black community in Danville raised and fostered Claudius Claiborne, who would go on to desegregate Duke’s men’s basketball team and fight for Black civil rights at the University. The intellectual talent, drive and creativity C.B. displayed during his time at Duke was a direct product of the labor of his community, but racist structures within Duke University restricted his skill and self expression.
Duke and Durham Came From Brightleaf
Duke University in Durham, North Carolina was one of the many white institutions profiting from Brightleaf tobacco and exploiting Black labor. From the late 1890s to the first half of the 20th century, Trinity College transformed into Duke University following donations of money and land from local tobacco magnates, including the Duke family.
The Duke family had become millionaires off of the American Tobacco Trust, which manufactured Brightleaf tobacco in Durham, North Carolina. The company largely relied on Black labor and skill in producing the tobacco, the profits of which helped build Duke University.
The influence of tobacco in Durham was reminiscent of Danville for Claiborne. Both towns had a large economic sector for tobacco and a large Black community tied to the tobacco industry.
Racial Context of Basketball
Black basketball players and coaches at Historically Black Universities and Colleges innovated and created new ways of playing basketball. While 'Blackball' was mocked by white audiences at the time, now we see many of these moves adopted into the mainstream style of playing.
