Nathaniel B. White Jr., former director of the Office of Sponsored Programs at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

Pioneer

Nathaniel White, Jr. in the first class of black students to graduate from Duke University.

Gene Kendall, Wilhelmina Reuben-Cooke, and Nathaniel “Nat” White, Jr. are the three surviving members of the first five undergraduate students to integrate Duke in 1963. Photo by Les Todd.

Heir To A Legacy

Nathaniel’s father, N.B. White, Sr. and his younger brother George joined two business associates to purchase the Service Printing Company, located on Fayetteville Street in Durham, North Carolina’s prosperous Hayti district. In the 1940s, Hayti was the home to many vibrant businesses, most of which were owned by black businessmen. White continued to work at the Service Printing Company until 1983 when he retired as its president. Mr. White was the first black board member at Durham Technical Community College. He also served on an advisory committee to WTVD that in 1973 convinced the TV station to hire its first minority co-anchor. A building at the college has been dedicated in his name.