About this episode
I sat down with my friend Ellie Parker to talk about her ancestor, Brodie Duke—the black sheep of the Duke family.
If you’ve ever heard his name, it’s probably been attached to scandal. Brodie had a reputation—alcohol, failed marriages, and headlines that followed him across the country.
For a long time, that’s where his story has started and ended.
But here’s the part most folks don’t know:
The Duke empire? It traces back to his vision.
Brodie was the one who helped pull his family into tobacco manufacturing in Durham, laying the groundwork for what would become one of the most powerful business dynasties in the South.
So I asked the question—was he really just the family’s cautionary tale? Or was he something more complicated than that?
This conversation digs into both sides of Brodie: the troublemaker the newspapers loved, and the man whose ideas helped shape North Carolina history.
Because like a lot of stories around here—it ain’t clean, it ain’t simple, and it sure ain’t one-sided.
And in that way, it might just be one of the most North Carolina stories there is.
Sponsors:
Support Where the Dogwood Blooms: If you enjoy our content, consider supporting us via:
Connect with Where the Dogwood Blooms:
Contact:
Tags:
#NCHistory #UntoldStories #Storytelling #BrodieDuke #DukeFamily #DurhamNC #TobaccoHistory #SouthernRoots
Get every episode summarized
Each time Where the Dogwood Blooms publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from Where the Dogwood Blooms
Woody White Dishes About NC Politics
Where the Dogwood Blooms
Shrimp Gate Exposed: How North Carolina Almost Lost Its Shrimp Industry
Where the Dogwood Blooms
AI’s Thirsty Giants: Land, Water, Power & the Data Center Boom in NC
Where the Dogwood Blooms
House Bill 543 and the Families It’s Hurting: A Mother’s Story
Where the Dogwood Blooms