Using New Hampshire's History to Connect Communities
The stories we haven’t heard shape the connections we’re missing. Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire brings those stories to life, helping us uncover a more complete and truthful history. From walking tours led by our expert Sankofa Scholars to interactive events and self-guided explorations, every experience inspires understanding, belonging, and action. Join us in creating bonds of understanding for stronger, more inclusive communities.
Sobering and eye-opening, the Black Heritage Trail forces us to question those we have traditionally considered heroes, and to elevate those who have been marginalized instead.
Programs
More Than Just a Trail
Black New England Conference
Juneteenth Celebration
Elinor Williams Hooker Tea Talks Series
Frederick Douglas Statewide Readings
The Black Matter is Life Poetry Series
Spring Symposium
Upcoming Events
Portsmouth Green Book Tour
Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop
Journey into the world of Black travelers who navigated a segregated America, where every journey required courage, strategy, and community. This walking tour explores the Portsmouth sites that offered safety and welcome at a time when racial discrimination in the North often barred African Americans from hotels, restaurants, and public spaces.
Inspired by the Green Book, you’ll discover how travelers relied on networks of Black-owned businesses, private homes, and church communities to move without fear of humiliation or harm.
But the guidebook tells only part of the story. As you walk through the city, you’ll uncover the lives behind the listings—the people who opened their doors, the quiet acts of resistance, and the connections that made travel a joy.
You’ll also learn how these spaces supported civil rights organizing—and how many disappeared after 1964—leaving stories that continue to shape our understanding of belonging and access today.
This is a journey into the hidden networks of resilience that enabled freedom of movement.
Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters, 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.
The Due Family in Hancock
Sankofa Tour Guide: Eric Aldrich
Town: Hancock, NH
Cost: $35
Join JerriAnne Boggis, executive director of the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire, and Hancock writer Eric Aldrich to see where the Due family lived and farmed in Hancock in the late 1770s and early 1800s. We'll visit the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests' Welch Family Farm and Forest and see the former homestead of the Due family, described in early U.S. censuses as free people of color. Also living here off and on was Jack Ware, enslaved as a child in Africa, who later became free.
We'll take a short hike to see where Betsey Due lived until the 1840s and hear Betsey's story of resistance to the Hancock church. We'll also hear from the Forest Society's Dave Anderson about the abandonment of New Hampshire farms in the 1800s and creative ways that the Welch family and others managed to continue farming into the 20th century. There will be some light trail hiking with uneven terrain and little elevation gain. Total hike distance both ways, 1.5 miles. Tour begins with a short bus ride from Hancock Town Offices to Welch Farm.
Co-sponsored with the Harris Center for Conservation Education and Society for the Protection of N.H. Forests.
Meeting Place: Hancock Town Offices, Hancock, NH
** Limited to 30 people. Sturdy shoes/boots are recommended. **
A Walking Tour of Exeter’s Racial History
Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Barbara Rimkunas
Town: Exeter, NH
Walk in the footsteps of Exeter's earlier generations and explore the racial history of the town -- the conflicts, concessions, and changes that have taken place over time and continue to shape its future. Learn about Exeter's legacy related to Atlantic slave trading and hear stories about African Americans who helped shape the town's history.
Learning Exeter's history can contribute to a richer community dialogue about its present and future.
Meeting Place: Exeter Town Hall | 10 Front St, Exeter.
Tours
Visit Historic Sites
Sankofa Scholar Guided Walking Tours
Discover the real, unbiased history with one of our signature guided tours conducted by a well-trained, experienced guide.
Self-Guided Tours
Take a self-guided audio tour to learn about Portsmouth’s Black heritage, right on your phone.
Expanded Walking Tours
Expanded walking tours extend beyond Portsmouth to historic locations across New England.
Virtual Tours
Experience New Hampshire's Black history from the comfort of your home.
Private Tours
Looking for a more personalized experience? Request a guided tour for your group.
Explore
Marker Sites
Visit Black history marker sites throughout New Hampshire.
NH Black History Stories
Read about little known historic figures from New Hampshire's African American community.
Educational Resources
Engage with materials for educators, students, and families to facilitate learning about Black history.
Preserve Black History in New Hampshire