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

Milford Historic Marker Unveiling

Milford Town Hall 1 Union Square, Milford, United States

The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire (BHTNH) invites the public to attend the unveiling of this historic marker in Milford as part of our statewide program, Mapping Untold Stories. This program makes visible New Hampshire’s Black history and brings to light the rich history and contributions of Black people in the state. 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,…

HOLMAN STADIUM TO BECOME A STOP ON BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

Nashua Holman Stadium

HOLMAN STADIUM TO BECOME A STOP ON BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL OF NEW HAMPSHIRE NASHUA – Mayor Jim Donchess has announced that the City of Nashua and the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire will erect a new plaque at Holman Stadium honoring African American baseball players Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe. Hall of Fame Catcher Roy Campanella, and Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Don Newcombe were signed to play with the Nashua Dodgers in 1946, when Jackie Robinson was playing with…

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

Black Heritage Trail of NH 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 spite of enslavement and hardship, these women fought for freedom, defied a sitting president, and educated generations of children to follow. Hear their stories about love and faith and struggle, as you walk past the homes of the families who enslaved them.

A Walking Tour of Exeter’s Racial History

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

Tour Guide: Barbara Rimkunas 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. This tour will explore how racial identity has shaped Exeter’s history and will serve to open a dialogue that will help shape its future. Meeting place: Exeter Town Hall, Front Street

AFRICAN ROOTS: HERBAL MEDICINE, INOCULATION & THE SHAKER CONNECTION

Canterbury Shaker Village 288 Shaker Rd, Canterbury, NH, United States

By the beginning of the nineteenth century, Europeans and Africans living in America joined with Native Americans, creating plant-based therapies to care for the body. The Shakers, at Canterbury and other villages, not only adopted some of these therapies but also refined and sold their own remedies. Join Curator and Historian Dr. Shirley Wajda for a special talk and tour on the history of medicine at Canterbury Shaker Village. Participants will explore several buildings including the Infirmary and the Syrup…

$45

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

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

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop Colonial Portsmouth newspapers would testify to the local slave trade, runaways, 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 in the news about de facto segregation in housing and public places. This tour includes many of those historic landmarks from the early nineteenth through the twentieth centuries.

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

Milford Town Hall 1 Union Square, Milford, United States

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 novel 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…

STILL, UPROOTED? HEARTACHE AND HOPE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

The Currier Museum of Art 150 Ash St, Manchester, NH

In 2009, the Center for the Humanities at the University of New Hampshire produced a 30-minute documentary, Uprooted: Heartache and Hope in New Hampshire, that featured the lives of five refugees who were re-settled in New Hampshire. They told their personal stories of war, persecution, refugee camps, and starting again in New Hampshire. Umija and Rasim Gusinac, Udai Baskota, Zahara Mahitula, and Munaf Mahmood come from different countries and backgrounds, but they are part of New Hampshire's ongoing demographic narrative. This…

CHANTING DOWN BABYLON: REDEMPTION SONGS OF THE DIASPORA

Strawbery Banke Museum 14 Hancock Street, Portsmouth, NH, United States

It is not an overstatement to say that world culture has been influenced by Jamaican reggae music and culture. With its roots grounded in an African sensibility of expressing philosophical words through music, its slow rhythmic beat, its militant, rebellious, and spiritual lyrics, and its positive message about unity, reggae continues to be a source for highlighting issues of social justice. This festival celebrates the music of the African Diaspora and honors the legacy of roots reggae.  Join us for…

CAMILLE A. BROWN & DANCERS: RECLAIMING BLACK NARRATIVES

The Music Hall 28 Chestnut St, Portsmouth, NH, United States

In African societies, dance serves many complex social purposes. Often there is no clear distinction between ritual celebration, social recreation, and history-keeping. African Diasporic dances, Samba and tap dance, line dance, hip hop, Capoeira, and twerking are all dance styles that have their origins on the continent of Africa. Camille A. Brown and Dancers is a group that is reclaiming Black narratives for Black and brown people and elevating African Diasporic culture to its rightful place in American society. Spreading…

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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M - F 10 - 4 pm

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