Thirst for Freedom: From NH’s Slave Trade to Its Civil Rights Movement

Lives Bound Together: The Washingtons & Ona Marie Judge in NH: A Living History Tour

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

During President George Washington’s final months in office, a woman named Ona Marie Judge was enslaved in the household of the First Family. In the spring of 1775, she sought her freedom, escaping from the Washingtons' executive mansion in Philadelphia with the aid of that city’s free Black community and making her way to Portsmouth. On this tour, you will hear the true story of Judge’s quest for freedom and the President’s relentless efforts to get her back. See the…

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

Seafaring was one of the most significant occupations among both enslaved and free Black men between 1740 and 1865 when Black mariners sailed on whalers, warships, and privateers. Some were enslaved and forced to work at sea, but by 1800, most seamen were free, legally or by self-emancipation, to seek adventure and economic opportunity aboard ship. On this tour, you will meet Jack Staines, husband to Ona Judge Staines, who was enslaved by the President and Martha Washington, and experience…

Not a Slave, yet not Free: Harriet E. Wilson and the Abolition Movement

1 Union Sq, Milford, NH.

Harriet E. Wilson was the first known African American to publish a novel on the North American continent. Born a free person of color in New Hampshire, Wilson was orphaned when young and bound as an indentured servant until the age of 18. Follow a trail to places where the child-servant went as she was growing up and where she struggled to make a living. Learn about Harriet's only son, George, who died in a poor house while she was…

Thirst for Freedom: From NH’s Slave Trade to Its Civil Rights Movement

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

Colonial Portsmouth newspapers testify to local involvement in the slave trade, runaway freedom-seekers, abolitionists, and anti-abolitionist activities, followed by conflicting opinions of the Civil War. In the 20th century, the legacy of that early history was reflected locally in newspaper reports of the struggles to end de facto segregation in housing, employment, and public places. This tour includes many of those historic landmarks from the early seventeenth through the twentieth centuries. Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop

A Walking Tour of Exeter’s Racial History

Exeter Town Hall 10 Front Street, Exeter, NH, United States

Walk in the footsteps of Exeter’s earlier generations and explore the racial history of the town -- the conflicts, concessions, and changes that have taken place over time and continue to shape its future. Learn about Exeter's legacy related to Atlantic slave trading and hear stories about African Americans who helped shape the town's history. Learning Exeter’s history can contribute to a richer community dialog about its present and future. Meeting Place: Exeter Town Hall | 10 Front St, Exeter. Sankofa…

A Quest to Thrive: Economics of Slavery & Portsmouth’s Early Black Community

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

Chattel slavery in Colonial America provided immense wealth and material culture to many European immigrants and their descendants in the Americas, as Portsmouth’s house museums bear witness. This tour brings into sharp focus an economic system dependent upon international and domestic slave traders for a constant supply of free labor, such as the captive African people and their descendants who, against the odds, created one of this country’s oldest Black communities. Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Angela Matthews

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

Can you imagine the hustle and bustle of a prosperous colonial seaport town? This interactive tour invites you to discover the world of past and present Portsmouth from the perspective of African-born and next generations of African American women. Learn how, in spite of enslavement and burdens of racial discrimination, these pioneers of change fought for justice and freedom, defied a sitting United States president, and educated generations of children. Hear the stories and celebrate the resilience, versatility, and courage…

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

Seafaring was one of the most significant occupations among both enslaved and free Black men between 1740 and 1865 when Black mariners sailed on whalers, warships, and privateers. Some were enslaved and forced to work at sea, but by 1800, most seamen were free, legally or by self-emancipation, to seek adventure and economic opportunity aboard ship. On this tour, you will meet Jack Staines, husband to Ona Judge Staines, who was enslaved by the President and Martha Washington, and experience…

On Saturday Night We Were Husband and Wife: The Black Family

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

Despite many obstacles, Black men and women — both enslaved and free — met, nurtured relationships, married, and built families. Learn about obstacles and how they were overcome. True stories about these families describe how Portsmouth’s community of African people and their descendants claimed their place as Americans. Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Dan Comly

Thirst for Freedom: From NH’s Slave Trade to Its Civil Rights Movement

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

Colonial Portsmouth newspapers testify to local involvement in the slave trade, runaway freedom-seekers, abolitionists, and anti-abolitionist activities, followed by conflicting opinions of the Civil War. In the 20th century, the legacy of that early history was reflected locally in newspaper reports of the struggles to end de facto segregation in housing, employment, and public places. This tour includes many of those historic landmarks from the early seventeenth through the twentieth centuries. Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop

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
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Office Hours:
M - F 10 - 4 pm

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