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Biography · Business & Enterprise

John Merrick

1859–1919

United States

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Biography

John Merrick (1859–1919) was an American businessman. Born into slavery in Clinton, North Carolina, Merrick founded various companies in the Raleigh, North Carolina and Durham, North Carolina areas, most notably the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company. Portions of his wealth were channeled back into the Black community through philanthropy.

Sources & collection details

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Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

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