Lots of good news about Durham we can tell Oprah

Editorial

CARL KENNEY Columnist

Ronnie Sturdivant knows how to take advantage of an opportunity. A few years back, Sturdivant, the owner of the Prosperity Institute, spearheaded an effort to persuade African-Americans to do business with Mechanics and Farmers Bank. His reasoning was simple. Blacks need to support black businesses.

Now, Sturdivant is circulating a petition to entice Oprah Winfrey to come to Durham. He wants her to speak at his institute's grand opening this year. The institute offers classes on financial literacy and money management.

The goal is to get 10,000 signatures. That, along with a videotape of people interviewed on the street asking them why they want Winfrey to come to Durham should do the trick. Sturdivant wants her to promote his institute. I would love to see Oprah come to Durham, but not for the same reason.

Durham has a story to tell, and the rest of the nation needs to hear it. We do a poor job of tooting our own horn in the Bull City. If a person would believe all the hype in the press, they would conclude that Durham is a place to stay away from. That's not true. Durham is the gem of the Triangle.

So, what would motivate Oprah to come to Durham? First, there's a fabulous history. E. Franklin Frazier dubbed Parrish Street the "Black Wall Street." A few months back it became official. Of all the places in America, Durham is noted for creating and developing black financial institutions that continue to thrive today. North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company, Mechanics and Farmers Bank, Mutual Savings and Loan and MCM Capital are among the leading black-owned financial institutions in the nation. That's big news.

What is it about Durham that created an environment for these businesses to get off the ground? How have they continued to stay in business long after integration forced a number of black-owned businesses to close their doors?

Durham is a place where black people have made a considerable amount of money. There are 37 black millionaires in Durham. That number makes Durham second only to Atlanta with black millionaires per capita. Winfrey is a billionaire. Imagine a show where Oprah talks to some of our millionaires about what makes Durham so special.

There's more. Oprah needs to know that Durham has become a model for redevelopment of its downtown. With all the negative press about mismanagement in city government, many have failed to take note of the massive changes downtown. Oprah needs to take a walk through West Village and the recently renovated America Tobacco plant. These projects could help other cities think through how to turn an eyesore into a prize.

That's not all. Oprah needs to talk to John Burness at Duke University about how he helped facilitate a plan to enhance the relationship between Duke University and the city of Durham. Duke has invested a substantial amount of money into projects in Durham. The good news is we haven't seen the best yet. Duke is doing a better job of being a good neighbor. Wouldn't it help other cities to hear people at one of the leading universities in America talk about building a top-tier center of education while living in a community plagued with poverty and crime?

While we're talking about Duke, why not bring in Coach K and ask him about why Durham is a better place to live than Los Angeles? Why did he turn down the fame and riches associated with coaching the Lakers? There's something about Duke University. That's for sure. But there's a part of the story that many have missed. There is something about Durham that makes it hard to say goodbye. The more you look at other places to live, the more you come to appreciate Durham.

There's more that could be said. You could talk about grassroots organizations, the nonprofits in Durham, the history behind the Durham Congregations in Actions, and why so many people love Durham because of its diversity. You could mention that the Research Triangle Park is in Durham County. You could ask Branford Marsalis why he moved to Durham, why John Hope Franklin never moved, and that Durham is the home of Shirley Caesar and John P. Kee, and that both have won Grammys. You could allude to the jazz divas of Durham -- Eve Cornelius, Nnenna Freelon, Louis Dawson.

There's so much about Durham. Places to eat -- Another Thyme, Magnolia Grill, Pop's, Nana's, Four Square, Nikos, Tosca and Bakus -- to name just a few. Durham offers more than the average food chain. It's got character.

Yeah, Oprah should come to Durham. We have so much to be proud of. Why don't we act like it?

Carl Kenney is a Durham pastor. His e-mail address is revcwkii@hotmail.com

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