Tobacco and E.J. Parrish, Durham
This bronze sculpture is the first in a series of six monuments documenting “Black Wall Street” in Durham. It highlights the importance of the tobacco industry in Durham County; in addition, it honors the life of E.J. Parrish, a tobacco tycoon in the area who built a warehouse on Parrish Street. The sculpture features five large-scale tobacco leaves above a plaque.
Image of the plaque
Tobacco and E.J. Parrish
Named for tobacco tycoon E.J. Parrish and his father, Parrish Street was the site of his expansive 1879 warehouse. / Early tobacco entrepreneurs E. J. Parrish, James B. Duke, Julian Carr, John Green, and W.T. Blackwell transformed Durham’s business landscape.
The City of Durham
October 15, 2009
35.994960 , -78.899060 View in Geobrowse
"Black Wall Street Durham. Durham, North Carolina. Borne from segregation and exclusion, Durham’s Black Wall Street is now a living reminder of the city’s past." Sponsored by Visit North Carolina, atlasobscura.com, (accessed March 28, 2024) Link
Fitts, David L., Jr. “Sculptures Honor Parrish St., Durham’s 'Black Wall St.',” The Durham Voice, (accessed April 20, 2012) Link
Morgan, Fiona. "Honoring the Past, Facing the Future. Durham’s Parrish Street Moves One Step Closer to Resurrection," Indy Week, 01/24/2007, (accessed March 20, 2024) Link
North Carolina Office of Archives and History. "Durham's 'Black Wall Street'," 2003. Anchor. A North Carolina History Online Resources", (accessed March 28, 2024) Link
Pfeiffenberger, Sylvia. "Durham's 'Black Wall Street'." Joint Duke-NCCU course looks at the history and people of Parrish Street, today.duke.edu, January 25, 2007, (accessed March 28, 2024) Link
Yes
Bronze
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Funds granted with the assistance of Representative David E. Price.
$350,000
The Parrish Street Sculptures
Tobacco has been an important part of Durham’s history since the 19th century. Tobacco entrepreneurs such as E.J. Parrish and Washington Duke marked the early business landscape of Durham.
The sculpture sits on historic Parrish Street, which is better known as “Black Wall Street.” It is part of a series of six sculptures that each commemorates important pieces of Durham’s history.
This sculpture rests in downtown Durham. There are a few trees close to the monument.
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This monument, and the entire series of Parrish street sculptures, is part of a larger revitalization effort by the city of Durham.
With the help of Representative David E. Price, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development granted $350,000 to the City of Durham’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development for the Parrish Street Revitalization and Historic Commemoration Project.
The entire Parrish Street monuments series cost $350,000.