For Black America, the pursuit of autonomy takes on particular urgency in the face of ongoing efforts at erasure. This erasure manifests in many ways: the distortion or omission of Black history in classrooms, misrepresentation in media, and the silencing or marginalization of Black voices in our nation’s most influential spaces.

Against this backdrop, autonomy becomes both a necessity and a declaration. It encompasses the struggle for self-determination, control over narratives, economic independence, political representation, and the preservation of cultural heritage. The 20th Annual Black New England Conference will bring together scholars, activists, artists, and community leaders to examine how Black communities have historically fought for autonomy—and how they are shaping tomorrow in the face of systemic erasure.

In an era marked by the erasure of Black voices and perspectives, journalist and media entrepreneur Joy Reid joins cultural explorer Anthony Poore for a powerful conversation about resilience, reinvention, and self-determination. Together, they will discuss Joy Reid's remarkable rise to becoming one of the most influential voices in broadcast journalism, her removal from a position of national media power, and her journey to building an independent platform on her own terms.

This discussion examines the shifting landscape of media ownership, the challenges Black leaders face when confronting systems of power, and the importance of creating autonomous spaces where Black stories, ideas, and truths can thrive. Through personal reflection and critical analysis, Reid and Poore will offer insights into what it means to shape tomorrow by reclaiming narrative authority in an age of erasure.

Afrofuturism fundamentally challenges who gets to imagine the future, control time, and define reality. The "comfort zone of whiteness" is, at its core, a temporal and narrative comfort zone—a presumption that history is linear, progressive, and centers a particular experience, and that the future is a neutral, inevitable extension of that.

The current digital renaissance is not merely a technological shift but a critical site for the Black future-in-the-making. Through the lens of Afrofuturism, we can consciously channel this moment toward tangible Black determination by applying ancestral principles of self-definition, community building, and resistance to the virtual and algorithmic realms, thereby resisting digital erasure and shaping a self-determined tomorrow.

Please note: Each tour requires a minimum of 20 participants to run. If fewer than 20 people register, we will notify you at least 48 hours in advance and provide a full refund or the opportunity to transfer to another tour. All tours depart from Manchester. Location TBD.

On this tour, you will hear the extraordinary story of Ona Marie Judge, a young woman enslaved by George and Martha Washington who made the courageous decision to free herself rather than remain in bondage to America’s First Family.

In the spring of 1796, Ona escaped from the Washingtons’ executive mansion in Philadelphia with help from the city’s free Black community and journeyed north to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where she built a new life while living under the constant threat of capture. As you drive through Portsmouth’s historic streets and along the waterfront, you’ll trace Ona’s path to freedom and discover her ties to some of the state’s most prominent families, including the Langdons, Whipples, and Lears. Along the way, you’ll uncover President Washington’s relentless efforts to capture Ona and explore the networks of resistance, courage, and community that helped sustain her freedom.

Long before her name became known in literary history, Harriet E. Wilson was navigating life in the small town of Milford, New Hampshire. Wilson, the first known African American to publish a novel on the North American continent, transformed the pain and injustice of her early life into Our Nig (1859), a groundbreaking work that challenged the belief that racism and exploitation were confined to the South.

This moving tour traces the places connected to her life as a child-servant, young mother, widow, and writer—revealing the experiences that shaped her voice and legacy. Along the way, you’ll learn about Harriet’s only son, George, whose tragic death in a poorhouse reflected the harsh realities she struggled to overcome.

Economic autonomy has long been a cornerstone of Black freedom and self-determination. This walking tour explores the stories of Manchester's Black entrepreneurs who, despite the barriers of racism and exclusion, built businesses, created opportunity, and strengthened their communities.

From the early nineteenth century barbers, caterers, and tradespeople to the dry cleaners, beauty salons, neighborhood businesses, and multicultural enterprises of today, participants will discover how Black residents transformed entrepreneurship into a pathway for independence, dignity, and community leadership. Along the way, the tour highlights New Hampshire's pioneering Black business owners—heirs to rich African traditions of commerce, craftsmanship, and innovation—and considers how their legacy continues to shape Manchester today.