JerriAnne Boggis, Executive Director, announced that the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire has unanimously selected Jay Williams, president of the Hartford Foundation, as the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire's 2022 Citizen of the Year. Williams was selected by the committee from a slate of nominees from throughout New England.
Boggis said, “Jay Williams was chosen not only for his Black philanthropy but also because of his leadership and commitment to dismantling racism, achieving equity, and improving social and economic mobility for People of Color and Latinx throughout the Greater Hartford area.” “In fact,” she added, “Jay and his organization, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, serve as models for a comprehensive approach to confronting systemic racism in any community.”
The Award will be presented to Mr. Williams at the Black New England Conference Awards Dinner to be held at Southern New Hampshire University on Friday, October 21, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. The dinner also features a special keynote event: A Conversation with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, the founding director of the BU Center for Antiracist Research and author of Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, which won a National Book Award for non-fiction.
Since July 2017, Jay Williams has served as president of the Hartford Foundation. He is currently leading the Foundation’s commitment to dismantle structural racism, achieve equity and improve social and economic mobility in our region in partnership with nonprofit organizations and community stakeholders. Williams serves on the boards of the MetroHartford Alliance, and AdvanceCT, and is a member of the Governor’s Workforce Council. At the national level, he is a member of the Community Foundation Opportunity Network and serves on the boards of the Council on Foundations, and the Center for Community Progress.
Prior to coming to the Hartford Foundation, Williams served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development where he led the federal economic development agenda for the United States during the Obama administration. He also served as Deputy Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House, acting as the principal liaison between the President of the United States and local elected officials. Previously, Williams served as the executive director of the federal Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers. He arrived in Washington, DC, after serving as the Mayor of the City of Youngstown, Ohio, where he helped lead regional economic development initiatives to improve the city’s global competitiveness. Williams, who grew up in Youngstown, led the city’s Community Development Agency before becoming the city’s youngest mayor and the first African American elected to that office.
The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire established its Citizen of the Year award to recognize an individual who, through a commitment to serving the community, strengthens and inspires others to make a difference. Past recipients include Community Activist Brenda Lett, Sculptor Fern Cunningham, Press Editor Melvin Miller, Artist Ashley Bryant, Comedian Dick Greggory, and Athlete Dwight Davis. Individuals are also selected for their work that aligns with the conference theme.
The 16th Black New England Conference, Where the Money Resides: An Exploration of Racialized Access & Historic Exclusion from Wealth, presented by the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire will take place on October 21-22, at Southern NH University in Manchester, and also virtually.
Held in partnership with SNHU the conference sponsors include ACLU-NH, Delta Dental, Enterprise Bank, Episcopal Diocese of NH, Eversource, New England Blacks in Philanthropy, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, NH Trust Financial, Novocure, RiverStone, Seacoast Rotary, South Church Portsmouth, University of NH, University of NH Center for the Humanities, and Wentworth-Douglass Hospital. For more information on the conference including schedule, conference panels topics, registration, cost, and how to become a conference sponsor please visit https://
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The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire promotes awareness and appreciation of African American history and life to build more inclusive communities today. We work to visibly honor and share a truer, more inclusive history through exhibits, educational programs, curriculum development, and tours that can change the way our country understands human dignity when it is free of historical stereotypes.
The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire is supported in part by an American Rescue Plan Act grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support general operating expenses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
