 Other big names, such as Washington Duke, started helping out the African American communities by donating or funding certain areas of the population, such as printing presses for the black newspaper or helping to organize the first Negro Bank.One example that still stands today is the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company, which grew into one of the largest African American insurance companies in the country.African American culture found itself decades ahead of the southern cities in early 20th century Durham due to business generated from the working black community and economic decisions by the owners.