Portsmouth, NH – A rare and precious first edition novel published in 1859 by Harriet E. Wilson, the mother of the African American novel, is coming home to New Hampshire. Three days of celebrations to express appreciation for this gift will culminate in a special book reading at First Congregational Church in Milford on Wednesday, January 22 at 1:00 PM.
Wilson’s book, Our Nig; or Sketches in the Life of a Free Black, published in Boston, was found in a safe by Rebecca Davis when settling her husband’s estate. Wilson is the first Black woman to publish a novel in English. A strong belief that Wilson’s book should be home in New Hampshire, led Rebecca to the Black Heritage Trail of NH (BHTNH). Long-time supporters John and Shaye Robbins immediately stepped forward to assist with the acquisition.
“I was so excited to get her call,” said JerriAnne Boggis executive director of the BHTNH. “To think she found us on the web and determined that our organization was the perfect home for her treasure is still mind-blowing.”
Davis, a former librarian, is hand-delivering the book to Portsmouth. A local antique dealer will authenticate the book. JerriAnne Boggis, the Trail’s Executive Director, will accept the gift on behalf of the Trail.
While Davis is in the area she will meet Trail founder Valerie Cunningham, tour historic sites in Portsmouth and Milford including the African Burying Ground, review the Black History archive at Portsmouth Athenaeum, attend a living history presentation about Ona Judge, and visit Rock Rest, the African American guest house listed in the Green Book.
Members of Black Lives Matter Nashua will read from Wilson’s book at the Milford celebration on Wednesday. Milford Historical Society (MHS) and BHTNH are co-sponsoring the public reading followed by a reception. Proof of vaccination and masks are required to attend in person. The public can also attend via Zoom by registering in advance here
Davis had a distinguished career as a medical librarian at UC Davis in California. When she retired in 2014, she was Assistant Head, Health Sciences Libraries, and Operational Head of the Blaisdell Medical Library. She lives in Oakland, CA.
When Wilson published the novel, she was free but formerly an indentured servant. Her stated hope was to earn sufficient money to “support herself and child.” Instead, her novel, Our Nig; or Sketches From the Life of A Free Black, became a powerful and controversial narrative that continues to touch and unsettle readers around the world.
Long thought to be the work of a white author, Wilson’s novel sunk into obscurity until 1983 when Henry Louis Gates republished the novel with his discoveries that the author was African American and that the story was largely autobiographical.
Jerrianne Boggis founded the Harriet Wilson Project in 2003 with Mabelle Barnette, Gloria Henry, and Claudette Williams, in response to an op-ed in Milford’s local paper outlining why high school students should not study Wilson’s novel. The group later expanded to include historian Barbara White, author Stasia Millett, and artist Napoleon-Jones Henderson.
Eventually, the town of Milford agreed to locate a memorial in Bicentennial Park and the Project commissioned sculptor Fern Cunningham to create a statue, unveiled in 2006, to commemorate Harriet Wilson. BHTNH offers tours of Milford each year, telling little-known stories of people, places, and events spanning three centuries that bring the town’s African American heritage to life.
