Gwen Bookman shares a rich family history rooted in Durham, highlighting her parents’ journey from rural North Carolina to becoming educators and entrepreneurs. She recounts her mother’s determination to pursue higher education despite segregation, her father’s role in the military and local grocery business, and the family’s lasting legacy through community service, education, and the arts. Their impact continues today through her sister’s bistro and art space, her brother’s pharmacy, and Gwen’s own career in law and academia.

Interview with Gwen Bookman

Stories recorded by the Museum of Durham History staff, volunteers, and partners. See www.museumofdurhamhistory.org/blog/story for more.