Black Heritage Trail to acquire Court St. building
By Elizabeth Dinan | May 1, 2018
PORTSMOUTH — A lawyer, local historian and son of a Portsmouth police officer, John “Jack” McGee is working with the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire to sell the nonprofit his historic 222 Court St. building, where he’s been practicing law for the past 33 years.
“It’s really nice that the story starts right at our door,” said JerriAnne Boggis, executive director of BHTNH, at the front door of McGee’s downtown property Tuesday. “There were enslaved people in this house.”
Through a web of different funding opportunities, the BHTNH hopes to raise enough capital for a down payment on McGee’s property by June, then raise enough to be mortgage-free into perpetuity.
The BHTNH has the mission statement, “To promote awareness and appreciation of African American history and culture in New Hampshire.” Boggis said after the BHTNH takes ownership of McGee’s building and small lot, it will use the space for an interpretive learning center, a gift shop, offices, meeting spaces and to host changing exhibits about African American history. There will be an information center and the property will be a meeting place for visitors who come to tour the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail, she said.
McGee’s property is also a very short walk to the African Burial Ground Memorial, which honors slaves found buried in unmarked graves under Chestnut Street.
