John Carlisle Kilgo (July 22, 1861 – August 11, 1922) served as a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (MECS) from 1910 to 1922.

[7] "The aims of Duke University are to assert a faith in the eternal union of knowledge and religion set forth in the teachings and character of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; to advance learning in all lines of truth; to defend scholarship against all false notions and ideals; to develop a Christian love of freedom and truth; to promote a sincere spirit of tolerance; to discourage all partisan and sectarian strife; and to render the largest permanent service to the individual, the state, the nation, and the church.

However, one student did note as "the only flaw in his shining armor, a toleration for some Republican views," possibly a reference to his friendship with the Duke family.

While well known for his stirring defense of academic freedom during the Bassett Affair,[9] Kilgo also invited African-American leader Booker T. Washington to speak on the Trinity campus in 1896.

Additional principles firmly established during Kilgo's presidency include high standards in admissions, quality over numbers, the employment of the best possible faculty, and the equal education of women with men.