A Walking Tour of Exeter’s Racial History

Meet Jack Stains, a “Black Jack” in Historic Old Portsmouth: A Living History Tour

Black Heritage Trail of NH Main Office 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH, United States

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Kevin Wade Mitchel as Jack Staines Seafaring was one of the most significant occupations among both enslaved and free Black men between 1740 and 1865. Black sailors sailed on whalers, warships, and privateers. Some were enslaved and forced to work at sea, but by 1800 most seamen were free to seek adventure and economic opportunity aboard ship. On this tour you will meet a mariner who was also husband to Ona Marie Judge, the escaped…

$10 – $20

Not a Slave, Yet Not Free: Harriet E. Wilson and the Abolition Movement in Milford, NH

Milford Congregational Church 10 Union St, Milford, NH

Tour Guide: David Nelson Harriet E. Wilson was the first African American of any gender to publish a novel on the North American continent. Her book Our Nig, or Sketches from the Life of a Free Black was published in 1859. Born a free person of color in New Hampshire, Wilson was orphaned when young and bound until the age of 18 as an indentured servant. She struggled to make a living after that, marrying twice; her only son George died at…

$10 – $20

A Small New Hampshire Town Remembers its Black History

Historians Rebecca Courser & Lynn Clark will take us on a journey in Warner, NH that will commemorate and make visible the town’s Black community that dates back to the 1700s. This tour will begin at the Soldier’s Monument near the town hall.

$10 – $20

Ain’t She a Woman: Let Me Tell You Her Story

Black Heritage Trail of NH Main Office 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH, United States

Sankofa Tour Guide: Valerie Fagin Can you imagine the hustle and bustle of a prosperous Colonial seaport town? This tour invites you to discover the world of early Portsmouth from the perspective of African American women in America. In spite of enslavement and hardship, these women fought for freedom, defied a sitting president, and educated generations of children. Hear their stories about love of family and community, about faith and struggle, as you walk past now-silent homes built by the…

$10 – $20

Portsmouth Green Book Tour

Black Heritage Trail of NH Main Office 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH, United States

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop There were many variations of the Green Books that were used as a tool by African Americans who went places to enjoy themselves without concerns of experiencing racism On this tour you will see the places and hear the stories of the local people whose homes served as safe vacation spots for African American travelers who wanted to find safety places and avoid the humiliation often experiencing discrimination that could, without warning, prohibit…

$10 – $20

Meet Jack Stains, a “Black Jack” in Historic Old Portsmouth

Black Heritage Trail of NH Main Office 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH, United States

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Kevin Wade Mitchel as Jack Staines Seafaring was one of the most significant occupations among both enslaved and free Black men between 1740 and 1865. Black sailors sailed on whalers, warships, and privateers. Some were enslaved and forced to work at sea, but by 1800 most seamen were free to seek adventure and economic opportunity aboard ship. On this tour you will meet a mariner who was also husband to Ona Marie Judge, the escaped…

$10 – $20

The Lies We Were Taught: The Black Family

Black Heritage Trail of NH Main Office 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH, United States

Sankofa Tour Guide: Daniel Comly At the turn of the 19th century, Black abolitionists are changing public attitudes about slavery and challenging racial bias in the courts. In Portsmouth, never-enslaved and now-freed Black adults share households with not-yet-free elders and children who are owned by their buyers. It is a time of possibilities, hope and fear. True stories about these families will describe how a community of Black Americans were striving to create a life and place in this northern…

$10 – $20

15th Annual Black New England Conference Crossing River Jordan: Healing Racial Wounds Through Accountability & Truth-Telling

A Virtual/Hybrid Conference October 22-23, 2021 Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, NH #BNEC2021 Traditional African spirituality acknowledges that there is no real separation between the spiritual and the rich fabric of everyday life. In this traditional worldview, spirituality informs everything including politics, economics, survival, healing, death and rebirth. The 2021 Black New England Conference explores paths forward from legacies of racism to collective accountability and collective healing. Presenters will examine the ongoing impacts of enslavement, murder, mass incarceration, unethical medical…

$125

Lives Bound Together: The Washingtons and Ona Marie Judge in NH

Black Heritage Trail of NH Main Office 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH, United States

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Sonya Martino During the Spring of 1796, George Washington’s final months in office, Ona Judge, an enslaved woman held by the First Family, escaped the Executive Mansion in Philadelphia with the aid of that city’s free Black community and made her way to Portsmouth. On this tour, you will hear the true story of Ona’s quest for freedom and the President’s relentless efforts to get her back. See the waterfront where she lands and visit…

$10 – $20

We Remember: Cemeteries and Burying Grounds

Black Heritage Trail of NH Main Office 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH, United States

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Angela Matthews The African Burying Ground Memorial is one of at least six locations in the city where Black Americans and Africans have been laid to rest. Hear the stories and remember. ** These tours will meet at 222 Court Street, walk to the African Burying Ground, then return to individual cars at 222 Court Street to drive to the remaining cemeteries.

$10 – $20
Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire

The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire promotes awareness and appreciation of African American history and life in order to build more inclusive communities today.

Contact Info

Mail: 222 Court Street, Portsmouth NH 03801
Phone: 603-570-8469
Email: info@blackheritagetrailnh.org
COVID 19 waiver
Office Hours:
M - F 10 - 4 pm

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