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Located at Rail Trail behind Sabatino’s in Derry, NH   Marker in honor of William Hobdy. William Hobdy was the first Black business owner on record in Derry, NH. He was the sole proprietor of Star Cleaning & Repairing Co., which opened in the summer of 1899.  Located in the Derry Depot, his shop was under that of F.S. Pillsbury. Besides owning a business, William was also a talented musician with an entrepreneurial spirit: In November 1902, he held the…

located at Bicentennial Park, 123 South St., Milford, NH 03055   The Milford marker honors Harriet Wilson, the first African American to publish a novel in English. Her book, “Our Nig,” or Sketches from the Life of a Free Black, was published in 1859 and is the first novel published by a Black woman in the world.  

Located at Wallingford Square at the Kittery foreside area, intersection of Walker St (Rte 103) and Wentworth St. and at Rock Rest 167 Brave Boat Harbor Road in Kittery, Maine.   Markers honor Rock Rest., an historic home in Kittery Point, Maine, that, from the late 1940s through the 1970s, welcomed African-American travelers at a time when many accommodations were closed to them. Clayton and Hazel Sinclair formally opened their home as a guest house called “Rock Rest” in 1946. …

Located at 156 Range Road, Windham, NH. Cemetery on the Hill at Windham, Rte 111A   This first marker in Windham commemorates the lives of three men – Pompey, Jeffry, Peter Thom, and one woman, Rose. These individuals are honored for their contributions to the growth and prosperity of the Windham community. The 1883 History of Windham, records that the individuals being honored were buried in the Windham cemetery “in that part of the original cemetery on the hill, in the…

located at 17 Church St. Warner, NH  

Located at 105 Depot Street, Andover, NH. Andover Historical Society grounds.   Richard Potter, a magician, ventriloquist, and humorist in the early 1800s, was the first American performer to gain nationwide fame. He helped make popular entertainment a major part of American life. Born in Boston to an enslaved mother, Potter studied there and in Europe with renowned performing artists. Early on, Potter’s wife, Sally, assisted him on stage. He toured the United States and Canada for nearly three decades,…

 located at 181-201 NH-123, Hancock, NH 03449   This marker remembers the Due family and Jack, a once-enslaved African who gained his freedom and lived in Hancock in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The Due family, identified in early censuses as free people of color, endured many issues with the Church of Christ in Hancock around the same time.   Press Release