A Sneak Peek at the Story of Duke University

Watch the trailer here. A special showing for students will be on Dec. 9.

Permanent Good: A Duke Documentary. A story over 100 years in the making

From a one-room schoolhouse to one of the world’s preeminent institutions of higher learning, Duke University’s history is chronicled in a new film that premieres on December 5 at the Nasher Museum of Art.

Permanent Good: A Duke Documentary brings to life the moments and people who helped forge its path for more than a century. Images, documents and film and audio clips gleaned from Duke’s archives – many of which have not been seen before -- recount the university’s evolution. The film features interviews with all three of Duke’s living presidents, alumni, current and former faculty and community leaders.

“While there is no way to include every significant moment or person in Duke’s history, the goal was to tell a compelling and authentic story,” says Jill Boy, executive director of the Centennial Celebration.

The project was two years in the making, with discussions starting in the fall of 2022 and production beginning in the spring of 2023. Blueline Pictures, an Emmy Award-winning production company, produced the film in partnership with Duke.

“We hope we have captured the enduring themes of this university by showing some of the important moments of the last 100 years,” says Carolyn Gerber, director of communications in the Provost’s Office, who was part of the Duke team who produced the film.

President Vincent Price interviewed in “Permanent Good: A Duke Documentary.”
President Vincent Price interviewed in “Permanent Good: A Duke Documentary.”

Members of the Duke family will attend the premiere, as will descendants of William Preston Few, who presided over the transformation of Trinity College into Duke University and served as president until he died in 1940.

Members of the Duke community and general public are invited to attend the premiere event on December 5 or one of the additional showings scheduled at the Nasher Museum on December 8 at 2 p.m. and December 11 at 3 pm. Registration is required only for the premiere on December 5.

Register and view the film trailer on the Duke Centennial website.

A special showing for students will be on Dec. 9 during the Nasher MUSE Study Hall, which is open from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Duke alumni will have the opportunity to see the documentary at regional viewing parties in early 2025. Locations and more information will be available in the coming weeks.

The goals of Duke’s Centennial celebration are to deepen the understanding of Duke’s history, inspire pride, and launch Duke into its second century. During the past year, more than 100 different activities, events, and projects have been planned by faculty, staff, students and alumni across the campus and around the world.

Among the many historical projects that marked Duke’s 100 years are the publication of a Centennial history book, a campus history tour app, an archives exhibit, and a series of oral history interviews. Duke’s Centennial year ends in December 2024; the celebration officially culminates at commencement in May 2025, the 100th anniversary of the first graduating class as Duke University.