Julian Carr (industrialist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Julian Carr
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| Born | October 12, 1845 |
| Died | April 29, 1924 (aged 78) |
| Alma mater | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| Occupation | Industrialist, banker, philanthropist |
| Known for | Namesake of Carrboro Speech at Silent Sam dedication |
| Spouse(s) | Nannie Graham Parrish |
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Julian Shakespeare Carr (born October 12, 1845 – died April 29, 1924) was an important American businessman and generous giver (a philanthropist). He was also known for his strong beliefs in white supremacy. The town of Carrboro, North Carolina is named after him.
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Early Life and Education
Julian Carr was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. His father, John Wesley Carr, was a merchant and also owned enslaved people. The Carr family was well-known in North Carolina.
In 1862, at age sixteen, Julian Carr started studying at the University of North Carolina. This university is now called the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
His studies were stopped in 1864. He joined the Confederacy as a private soldier during the American Civil War. He served with the Third North Carolina Cavalry.
Business Success
After the Civil War, Carr became a partner in a tobacco company called W. T. Blackwell and Co. This company was in Durham, North Carolina.
Carr was very good at business. He helped the company become famous around the world. Their "Bull Durham" trademark was very well known.
He became one of the richest people in North Carolina. He owned successful businesses in textiles (cloth making), banking, railroads, and public utilities like electricity. He also owned newspapers.
In 1909, Carr bought a cotton mill near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The area was then called West End. In 1913, he agreed to bring electricity to the town. Because of this, the town was named Carrboro in his honor.
Years later, in the 1970s, the old mill was fixed up. It reopened as the Carr Mill Mall.
Political Views and Actions
Julian Carr was involved in politics. He was nominated for Vice President of the United States in 1900. He also served as a delegate at the 1912 Democratic convention.
Supporting White Supremacy
Julian Carr played a big role in supporting white supremacy in North Carolina. This was during the time of Jim Crow laws, which enforced racial segregation.
He publicly supported the Ku Klux Klan. He was against the 15th Amendment. This amendment gave African-American men the right to vote.
Carr also promoted racial unrest in the late 1800s. He wanted to defeat an interracial political group called the "Fusion Party".
He used the News & Observer newspaper to spread his views. He bought the newspaper and made Josephus Daniels its editor. Daniels also supported white supremacy.
In many speeches, Carr said that African Americans were better off enslaved. He also celebrated violence against black citizens.
Silent Sam Monument
Carr gave the most money to build the Silent Sam monument. This statue honored Confederate alumni at the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. The statue was pulled down by protesters on August 20, 2018.
Helping Others
Carr was also known for his generous giving. He helped start Duke University. From 1930 to 2018, a history building on Duke's campus was named after him.
He was a trustee for Trinity College starting in 1883. Trinity College later became Duke University. Carr helped the struggling college survive. He gave 62 acres of land for the school's new location in Durham, North Carolina.
Carr also supported women's right to vote. He encouraged the creation of the Equal Suffrage League of North Carolina. He gave his time and money to help the League.
He was a strong supporter of Confederate veterans. He was the Commander-in-Chief of North Carolina's United Confederate Veterans.
Carr also helped Charles Soong get an education in the West. He helped fund Soong's Bible-publishing business in Shanghai. Soong later helped Sun Yat-sen in his efforts to create a modern republic in China. Carr was a major financial supporter of the Xinhai Revolution in China.
Julian Carr's Legacy
Many things were named after Julian Carr. However, some of these names have been changed due to his views on race.
- The town of Carrboro, North Carolina.
- Carr Hall at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Carr paid for this building in 1900. It was a dormitory. In 2020, it was renamed the "Student Affairs Building."
- The Carr Building at Duke University. It was originally called "Classroom Building" in 1927. It was renamed "Carr Building" in 1930. In 2018, its original name, "Classroom Building," was restored.
- A building at the Durham School of the Arts was named for Carr. In 2017, the school board voted to remove his name from the building. They also banned symbols like the Confederate flag and Ku Klux Klan symbols.
- The Durham chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy is named the Julian S. Carr Chapter.
- In 1945, Governor R. Gregg Cherry declared October 12, 1945, as Julian S. Carr Day in North Carolina.
- A portrait of him hangs in the house of the UNC System President.
Personal Life
Julian Carr married Nannie Graham Parrish in 1873. They had four sons and two daughters. Their main home was called Somerset Villa in Durham. They also owned a plantation in Hillsborough, North Carolina called Poplar Hill.
Later in life, he was known as "General Carr." This was an unofficial title given to him by veterans' groups. It was because of his long service and generosity to widows and children of veterans. In 1923, UNC gave him an honorary degree.
Julian Carr passed away in Chicago on April 29, 1924, at his daughter's home.
Removal of Carr's Name
Due to his strong support for white supremacy, several places have removed Julian Carr's name.
- The Durham Board of Education removed his name from a building at the Durham School of the Arts. They also created a dress code that banned symbols like the Confederate flag and Ku Klux Klan symbols.
- In 2018, the Duke University History Department suggested renaming Carr Hall. As a result, his name was removed. The building is now temporarily called "Classroom Building."
- In July 2020, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Carr Hall was renamed the "Student Affairs Building."
