BHTNH 2025 Juneteenth Celebration
A Reckoning: Reclaiming the Past, Remembering Black Voices, Reshaping the Future
June 8, 10-15, & 19
The celebration includes a movie screening and discussion, history tours, a gospel choir concert, a panel discussion, and celebrations, including a freedom dinner and an African drumming ceremony.
In challenging times, it can be difficult to have productive conversations about the past and its significance for the future. This is especially true when historical facts about America’s past, such as those about our early presidents, do not reconcile with the sanitized versions we are taught.
American history often portrays the “Founding Fathers” as paragons of virtue while omitting the realities of slavery, exploitation, racial inequality, and profiteering woven into the nation's foundation. When historical figures held in high regard are revealed to have enslaved and fathered Black children, it forces a deeper reckoning with how racism shaped American institutions. It makes slavery and its legacy personal rather than abstract.
This Juneteenth, we weave together three powerful narratives—stories that disrupt the illusion of separate racial histories and identities in America. Through the voices of descendants, cutting-edge technology, and Ona Marie Judge Staines's courageous journey, we underscore that Black and white histories have always been intertwined, making it harder to uphold a rigid "us vs. them" mindset.
Knowing these truths forces us to confront the gap between America’s ideals and history. This Juneteenth, we reclaim, we remember, and we resist erasure.
What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is the oldest known nationally celebrated event commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation declared that as of January 1, 1863, all slaves of the states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” However, it was not until June 19th, 1865, two years later, when the U.S. Army took possession of Galveston Island in Texas and began a campaign against the defenders of slavery, that the enslaved people in Galveston could begin their journey towards freedom.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Sunday, June 8 | 2:00 PM | Temple Israel | Portsmouth
JEFFERSON IN PARIS, A FILM DISCUSSION
Join us for a facilitated discussion of the film Jefferson in Paris. We will show snippets of the film during the discussion. If you would like to watch the full film before the discussion, it is available on Netflix, AppleTV, Amazon Prime Video, or Google Play Movie for a small fee.
Jefferson in Paris (1995) is a historical drama directed by James Ivory, starring Nick Nolte as Thomas Jefferson. The film highlights Jefferson’s time as the U.S. Ambassador to France in the late 1780s, capturing his interactions with European aristocrats, his political ideals, and his controversial relationship with Sally Hemings (Thandiwe Newton), an enslaved teenage girl.
The discussion will explore how the movie upholds a familiar white historical narrative—one that acknowledges contradictions but ultimately prioritizes the comfort of its protagonist and audience over a true reckoning with race, power, and enslavement.
Facilitator: Delia Konzett, Professor of English and Cinema Studies, University of New Hampshire
The event is brought to you in partnership with Temple Israel, Portsmouth, NH.
Tuesday and Wednesday, June 10-11 | School Tours | Portsmouth, NH
ONA MARIE JUDGE STAINES: A LEGACY OF RESISTANCE
Step back in time and walk in the footsteps of Ona Judge, an enslaved woman who courageously escaped from the household of George and Martha Washington to seek her freedom in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This guided tour will bring to life Ona’s remarkable story—her daring flight from servitude, her determination to live free despite relentless pursuit, and the community that supported her in the face of overwhelming odds.
As you explore the historic streets of Portsmouth, you will stand at the waterfront where Ona first arrived, seeking refuge in this northern port city. You’ll visit the homes and properties of some of America’s most prominent families—such as the Langdons, Warners, and Lears—who were deeply intertwined with the history of both slavery and abolition. Through their stories, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the complex social and political landscape that shaped Ona’s journey and the lives of countless other African Americans in early New England.
This immersive experience offers a powerful and thought-provoking look at one woman’s quest for freedom, the struggles she faced, and the enduring legacy of her resistance. Join us to uncover the hidden history of Portsmouth and honor the resilience of those who fought for liberty.
Tour Guides:
Dariya Steele and Saniyah Bolton
To book your tour, contact Dariya Steele, Program Assistant at dariya@blackheritagertrail.org.
Thursday, June 12 | 5:30 PM | Currier Museum of Art |Manchester, NH
NEVER CAUGHT: THE DEFIANT JOURNEY OF ONA MARIE JUDGE STAINES
Born into slavery at Mount Vernon, Ona Marie Judge Staines refused to be a mere footnote in Washington’s history. She seized her freedom, escaping to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, only to live the rest of her life pursued by the most powerful man in America. Ona’s courageous act of self-liberation speaks to the larger American story of enslavement, the relentless quest for freedom, and the systemic forces that sought to maintain racial oppression.
New Hampshire actress Sandi Clark Kaddy will bring Ona’s voice to life through a dramatic reading of her 1845 interview, originally published in The Granite Freeman (Concord, NH). The discussion will continue with Never Caught author Erica Armstrong Dunbar, offering deeper insight into Ona’s story and its lasting significance in American history.
There will be both adult and young adult versions of Dr Dunbar's book for purchase before and after the event.
The event is brought to you in partnership with the Currier Museum of Art. Manchester, NH
Friday, June 13 | 6:00 PM | 3S Artspace| Portsmouth, NH
ERASED BLOODLINES: THE BLACK DESCENDANTS OF THE “FOUNDING FATHERS” AND THOSE THEY ENSLAVED
History is often told in fragments, leaving out the voices that disrupt America's founding myth. This Juneteenth, we invite you to join a groundbreaking conversation that brings together some Black descendants of America's early Presidents alongside a descendant of the enslaved from New Hampshire’s Moffatt-Ladd House.
Acknowledging these connections and the resilience of Black families who have refused to allow their histories to be erased forces us to reconsider the roles that Black people played—not just as enslaved laborers but as fundamental architects of the nation. Their stories challenge the myths we tell about our founding fathers and deepen our understanding of freedom, democracy, and resilience.
This vital conversation reclaims history, reshapes perspectives, and reaffirms the power of truth.
Presenters:
Shannon LaNeir, Sally Hemmings Descendant, Television News Anchor and Host
Brendan Narcia, Membership and Education, League of Descendants of the Enslaved at Mount Vernon
Laurel Guild Yancey, Descendant of Prince Whipple, Attorney
Moderator:
Anthony Poore, CEO, Center for NH Justice & Equity
This event is brought to you in partnership with 3S Artspace, Portsmouth, NH.
Saturday, June 14 |12:30 PM | Portsmouth Public Library
RESTORING THE ERASED: AI & AR IN BLACK HISTORY
This groundbreaking program explores how artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) are reshaping the way we engage with Black history. Through innovative digital storytelling, we restore lost narratives and make history more accessible to all—especially younger generations.
This program highlights two significant projects: the Mount Vernon Portrait Project and the BHTNH Sankofa AR Project. Utilizing AI technology, Mont Vernon creates lifelike portraits of the men and women enslaved by George Washington. As no images of these individuals exist, this project serves as a powerful visual reclamation, restoring identity and dignity to those erased from history.
With technology as a bridge, the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire brings to life the story of the recovery of the Portsmouth African Burying Ground, how this project challenges erasure, and fosters a more inclusive understanding of New Hampshire’s past.
Seeing a face, hearing a voice, and experiencing a story in a new way makes history feel immediate, tangible, and deeply personal.
Presenters:
K. Allison Wicken, Vice President, Education, George Washington's Mount Vernon
John Robbins
Brendan Narcia, Membership and Education, League of Descendants of the Enslaved at Mount Vernon
Steven Cummings, Photographer and Documentarian
Eric Channing Brewer, Photographer
Moderator: JerriAnne Boggis, Executive Director, Black Heritage Trail of NH
The event is brought to you in partnership with the Portsmouth Public Library, Portsmouth, NH.
Saturday, June 14 | 6:00 PM | Location to Be Confirmed | Portsmouth, NH
FREEDOM DINNER: HOSTED BY BLMNH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BHTNH
Black Lives Matter New Hampshire is honored to host a Freedom Dinner in celebration of Juneteenth. They will celebrate the extraordinary resilience and redemption of two remarkable individuals—Ona Judge and Hercules Posey—who risked everything to claim their freedom from George Washington’s household. Through food, storytelling, and reflection, we will illuminate the intertwined legacies of these two figures, who defied the most powerful man in America in pursuit of liberation.
Together, we will celebrate the spirit of freedom, courage, and perseverance these individuals embody, connecting their fight for self-liberation to the ongoing pursuit of justice today.
More information to come
Sunday, June 15 | Gospel Choir Concert | The Music Hall | Portsmouth
AN EVENING OF GOSPEL MUSIC FEATURING HOWARD UNIVERSITY GOSPEL CHOIR
Gospel music has long been a powerful tool for African American resilience, serving as a source of strength, community, and spiritual upliftment. Rooted in the African American experience, particularly in the era of enslavement and segregation, gospel music has been a means of both survival and resistance. It has allowed African Americans to express their pain, hope, and faith while fostering solidarity and collective action.
Returning to Portsmouth, the Howard Gospel Choir, a group of students, alumni, and community members from Howard University, will lift our spirits as we celebrate, heal, and empower our communities. As the world’s first college choir, the Howard Gospel Choir is a trailblazer for gospel music ministries on collegiate campuses worldwide.
Choir Director: Ray Bramble
The event is brought to you in partnership with the Music Hall, Portsmouth.
Thursday, June 19 | 9:30 AM | Community Walk | FREE
JUNETEENTH FREEDOM WALK
Celebrate Juneteenth side-by-side with others of goodwill by walking from Kittery, Maine, to the African Burying Ground in Portsmouth, New Hampshire!
Meet at John Paul Jones Memorial Park on the Kittery side of the Route 1 Memorial Bridge. Wakers will gather by 9:00 AM and begin the 0.8-mile walk at 9:30 AM to the Burying Ground at 386 State Street, Portsmouth, NH, led by The Leftist Marching Band.
Parking for those participating in the walk is available at Kittery Walk-in Care, 35 Walker Street, and wheelchair-accessible parking spots across Hunter Ave by the Warren’s Lobster sign.
BRING a Sign! Bring a tambourine. Help celebrate African American Freedom!
This walk is hosted by The Seacoast African American Cultural Center, Green Acre Baha’i Center of Learning, and Seacoast NAACP.
Thursday, June 19 | 11:00 AM | African Drumming | African Burying Ground
A DRUMBEAT FOR SPIRITUAL RENEWAL
African drumming has long been a cornerstone of cultural resilience, serving as a powerful medium for expression, communication, and unity. Deeply embedded in African traditions, drumming is more than music; it is a language that conveys stories, emotions, and messages across generations.
This commemorative event, celebrating the tenth anniversary of the unveiling of the Portsmouth African Burying Ground Memorial Park, pays homage to the ancestors. The healing beat of the drums provided by Akwaaba Ensemble, an African drumming and dance group, and a ceremony by Rev. Robert Thompson, Director Emeritus of BHTNH’s Board, will honor the ancestors, preserve identity, maintain a sense of belonging, and affirm cultural pride.
After the Juneteenth Freedom Walk, meet at the African Burying Ground for the Celebration:
11:00 AM: Akwaaba Ensemble will do a Call to Gather.
11:05 AM: Welcome - JerriAnne Boggis
11:10 AM: Honor to the Ancestors - Rev. Robert Thompson
11:15 AM: Rededication of the African Burying Ground Memorial - Asst. Mayor Joanna Kelley
11:25 AM: Akwaaba Ensemble Performance
Noon: Boots on the Ground dance.
12:15 PM: Closing - JerriAnne Boggis
This event is free and open to the public.
PRESENTER BIOS
Delia Malia Konzett is a Professor of English and Cinema Studies at University of New Hampshire. She is the author of the monographs Ethnic Modernisms (2002) and Hollywood’s Hawaii: Race, Nation, and War (2017) and the editor of Hollywood at the Intersection of Race and Identity (2020).
Sandi Clark Kaddy was born in Lowell Mass, raised in upstate New York, and is a graduate of Elmira College, Elmira, NY with a BA in Theater. Sandi has been a longtime resident of NH and the seacoast area. She is founder of “Jukwaa Mazoa” a theater production company. Sandi is a producer, director and performer.
Sandi volunteers for several NH based Non-profits, however the majority of her time is spent as President of The Seacoast African American Cultural Center SAACC and she serves on the Executive Council for the Seacoast NAACP. Sandi is active in her Church North Star Ame Zion which is in Newington NH. Founder of the “Set The House On Fire” a Gospel Concert in celebration of the life and dreams of Rev Dr Marin Luther King Jr
Erica Armstrong Dunbar is an American historian at Emory University. She was previously a distinguished Charles and Mary Beard Professor of History at Rutgers. A historian of African American women and the antebellum United States, Dunbar is the author of A Fragile Freedom: African American Women and Emancipation in the Antebellum City (2008) and Never Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge (2017). Never Caught was a National Book Award for Nonfiction finalist and winner of the Frederick Douglass Prize.
Shannon LaNier is a dynamic television news anchor and host, currently working with News 12 and showcasing two popular shows, "Be Well" and "Road Trip," which reach over 3 Million homes across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. A multi-talented media professional, Shannon has anchored for national networks including BNC and CW39, and previously hosted entertainment series for BET and Black Enterprise Magazine.
As a writer and storyteller, Shannon co-authored "Jefferson's Children: The Story of One American Family," exploring his unique heritage as a 9th-generation descendant of President Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. He is also the creator of the critically acclaimed podcast "Daddy Duty 365," which features candid conversations with celebrity fathers about parenting.
Beyond media, Shannon is an inspiring public speaker who addresses topics ranging from genealogy and racial equality to entrepreneurship. He has participated in White House initiatives and national tours, including the National Entrepreneurship Tour. Currently hosting a nationwide Small Biz Challenge for The UPS Store & Inc. Magazine, Shannon remains actively involved in community organizations like Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the National Association of Black Journalists.
A devoted family man, Shannon lives in NYC with his wife Chandra and their three children. Follow his journey on social media @MrShannonLanier.
Brendan Narcia is a 6th great-grandson of Doll, an enslaved chef who arrived at George Washington’s Mount Vernon in 1759 with Martha Dandridge Custis. Doll is known as, “the matriarch of one of the largest extended families within Mount Vernon’s enslaved community,” with some members of her family, like her daughter Lucy, son-in-law Frank Lee, and grandson Christopher Sheels working within close proximity of the Washington family just as she had for many years. Brendan served on the board of directors for the League of Descendants of the Enslaved at Mount Vernon from 2022 to 2024 as the nonprofit organization's inaugural secretary and currently serves on the organization’s membership and education committees.
Laurel Guild Yancey is a distinguished attorney with a private legal practice. She also advocates for equal justice. Laurel follows in the footsteps of her paternal ancestor Prince Whipple, a free African, who was enslaved by William Whipple, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, at the Mofatt-Ladd House in Portsmouth, New Hampshire during the 1800s.
Laurel co-presented at the Slave Dwelling Project Conference on the topic Descendants of Northern Slavery History, Black and White, Discuss Freedom and Resistance through the Lens of our Interconnected Family Legacies at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in October 2024. New Hampshire Public Radio aired an interview in May 2024 of Laurel discussing her connection to Prince Whipple for its story How a family discovery connected two strangers — and opened their eyes to NH's history of slavery. She was honored by We The Action in March 2022 as the recipient of the Amicus Mundi: The Lawyer Honoring Her Ancestors by Empowering Black Voters for her service and dedication to building a more just and equitable society. Through research, storytelling and projects, Laurel acknowledges Prince Whipple as an African and American historical figure who assisted, alongside Brigadier General William Whipple, in securing the independence of America.
Anthony Poore has worked in support of transformative systems change and equitable and sustainable communities for more than 30 years as a community organizer and economic development practitioner, academic, workforce housing and public health advocate, policy analyst, researcher and executive addressing the needs of New Hampshire’s urban and rural low-and moderate-income communities. He launched AP Consulting Group in 2021, working with traditional and non-traditional financial institutions and community-based organizations to identify and develop mutually beneficial public-private community economic development projects.
From 2018 to January 2021, Poore served as the Executive Director of New Hampshire Humanities, an affiliated organization of the National Endowment for the Humanities. From 2010 – 2018, Poore worked with Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, in a variety of leadership roles, directing research and policy initiatives of the Boston Fed’s Regional and Community Outreach Department. Prior to that, Poore, served as the Assistant Dean for Southern New Hampshire University’s School of Economic Development.
He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority, and Walden Mutual Bank.
Allison Wicken (bio to come)
Steven M. Cummings is a photographer and documentarian who has a studio in Northeast, Washington, DC. He was born in Okinawa, Japan in 1965 and traveled through Europe with his military family as a child. Cummings depicts black life in Washington, DC and shoots almost exclusively in black and white. He captures people as they are, outside the studio, in natural light, and going about the business of living. He graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2010 with an M.F.A. in Photographic and Electronic Media.
Eric Channing Brewer (bio to come)
Founded in 1968 by Melanie Russell and Rosalind Thompkins, the Howard Gospel Choir (HGC) is the world's first collegiate gospel choir, boasting a roster of over seventy students, alumni, and community members. This pioneering ensemble has been a cornerstone of Howard University's religious life, operating under the Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel and featuring notable alumni including Grammy Award winners Richard Smallwood, Coré Cotton, and Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark.
For nearly five decades, HGC has distinguished itself as a premier performing arts ensemble, performing at prestigious venues like the White House, Kennedy Center, and Smithsonian Museum, and serving as cultural ambassadors in over twenty countries. Their critically acclaimed 2016 album "Glorious God" earned multiple award nominations, and the choir continues to spread its message of hope and inspiration through music, currently under the musical direction of Reginald Golden, with the enduring purpose of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ through song.
Theo Nii Martey formed the Akwaaba Traditional African Drum and Dance Ensemble during a tour with Brekete Ensemble in London. It brings together a group of friends who have been drumming and dancing together for many years in Ghana and the UK. The group includes past members of the National Dance Ensemble, Brekete Ensemble and the Shidaa cultural troupe.
The Akwaaba Ensemble’s energetic and engaging performances are a reflection of their name, which means ‘welcome’ in the Twi language of the Ashanti tribe of Ghana. At each performance the Ensemble brings Highlife music, West African drumming and dance to vivid life.
Audiences agree that their performances are “overwhelmingly positive. Once you hear their music, you can’t resist moving”.
At the age of 6, Theo Martey began performing with the African Personality Youth Ensemble and then joined the Shidaa Cultural Troup in 1989. At age 17 he joined the Dance Factory Company at the National Theater of Ghana in 1997, one of the most sought-after performance ensembles in Ghana. When in London in 2000-2002, he performed with the Brekete Drum and Dance Ensemble.
While touring with the Brekete Ensemble, drummer, dancer, and choreographer Theo Martey, formulated the idea to create the Akwaaba Ensemble in 2002. The Akwaaba Ensemble’s energetic and engaging performances are a reflection of their name, which means ‘welcome’ in the Twi language of the Ashanti tribe of Ghana. At each performance the Ensemble brings West African drumming, music and dance to vivid life, holding sway with the rich and subtle rhythmic patterns and styles specific to different tribal groups of West Africa.
Theo currently teaches Drumming class for adult at the Murphy’s Boxing Gymnasium in Manchester and directs the Akwaaba Ensemble.
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