James B. Duke Statue, Duke University, Durham
James Buchanan Duke is depicted as larger than life standing atop an octagonal plinth or pedestal of polished dark granite. He is holding a walking stick in his right hand and the ever-present cigar in his left hand. The eight foot tall statue sits on a four inch thick base atop the plinth. The entire structure sits on a low, two tier octagonal granite base.
Contemporary Image
Front: JAMES / BUCHANAN / DUKE / DECEMBER 23, 1856- / OCTOBER 10, 1925
Back: FOUNDER / OF / THE DUKE / ENDOWMENT
Right: INDUSTRIALIST
Left: PHILANTHROPIST
On statue, left leg: CHARLES KECK SC. 1935
Duke University
June 3, 1935
36.001320 , -78.939030
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"James Buchanan Duke (sculpture)," Art Inventories Catalog, Smithsonian American Art Museum, SIRIS, sirismm.si.edu, SSSA5401, (accessed January 15, 2013) Link
Bryan, John M. The Campus Guide: Duke University (New York, NY: Princeton Architectural Press, 2000), 25, (accessed January 15, 2013) Link
Durden, Robert F., 1986. “Duke, James Buchanan,” NCpedia.org, (accessed July 8, 2023) Link
The Duke Endowment. "About Us," dukeendowment.org, (accessed February 5, 2013) Link
“647 Students Get Degrees In Final Exercises At Duke,” The Durham Morning Herald (Durham, NC), June 4, 1935, 2
“Alien James B. Duke Statue,” Duke University Archives on Flickr, (accessed January 15, 2013) Link
“Duke Commencement Exercises to Begin Today: More Than 600 Candidates to Receive Degrees Monday,” The Durham Morning Herald (Durham, NC), June 1, 1935
“James B. Duke Statue, Duke University—Photos Then and Now,” Waymarking.com, (accessed January 15, 2013) Link
“Six Events Are Listed at Duke,” Durham Morning Herald (Durham, NC), June 3, 1935
“The Duke Family and Duke University. A Chronology of Selected Events in the Duke Family's Relationship with Duke University,” David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University, (accessed January 15, 2023) Link
“The Life of Memorials: Manifestations of Memory at the Intersection of Public and Private,” Perkins Gallery, Duke University Libraries, (accessed January 15, 2023) Link
Yes
Bronze, Cape Anne granite
Duke Memorial Association
The unveiling occurred at 12:15 pm on the final day of a three day commencement celebration in 1935. The activities that day included a commencement address given by President Glenn Frank of the University of Wisconsin, an alumni luncheon, presentation and acceptance of the Duke Homestead, and graduation exercises. James A. Thomas, the chairman of the Duke Memorial Association, spoke of Duke’s generosity and love for his state and the city of Durham, and Mary Duke Biddle pulled the cord to reveal the statue. Several thousand people attended the ceremony and listened as Colonel John F. Bruton made an acceptance speech. President W. P. Few also participated in the ceremony.
James B. Duke, born in 1856, the son of tobacco giant and philanthropist Washington Duke greatly expanded upon his fathers’ success. His gamble to introduce machine-rolled versus hand-rolled cigarettes and use of extensive advertising campaigns led to rapid expansion of the W. Duke, Sons and Company. Duke then helped form a combination of large cigarette manufactures into the American Tobacco Company in 1890, becoming president at the age of 33. In the following years the company gained control of most tobacco products in the country except cigars which led the federal government to launch antitrust actions in 1907. A Supreme Court decision in 1911 ultimately led to the company’s breakup.
Prior to the breakup of American Tobacco James and his brother Benjamin with partner George Watts had launched the Southern Power Company (now Duke Energy Company) with headquarters in Charlotte. They poured their resources into the hydroelectric industry that played a key role in the industrialization of the Piedmont region of North Carolina and South Carolina in the early parts of the 20th century. With the dissolution of the American Tobacco Company, James ended his involvement with the tobacco industry, acquired a second home in Charlotte, and turned his interest towards the Southern Power Company and philanthropic causes.
The Duke brothers, being lifelong Methodists, practiced the kind of financial stewardship encouraged by the church. Their philanthropic efforts were led by Benjamin until 1915 when declining health led to James becoming more involved. James then became more directly engaged with support for Trinity College in Durham and other Methodist Church causes. In 1924 he established the Duke Endowment with a donation of $40,000,000 for philanthropic purposes in North Carolina and South Carolina. It was specified that nearly a third of the annual income was to support Trinity College. The donation was intended to rebuild East Campus and build a new complex on West Campus. After this generous donation, the school changed its name to Duke University.
The statue sits in front of Duke Chapel on the West Campus of Duke University, Durham, NC. It faces southeast into the quad and traffic circle.
The statue is situated in a grassy quad, just before the steps to Duke Chapel.
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