British historian and diplomat E.H Carr once wrote in his book What is History? that “history is an unending dialogue between the present and past.” However, this conversation isn’t constant, no, it's one that never ends, never satisfies, and never gets it right.
Due to the Eurocentric history American children are taught, they begin to associate success to whiteness. We are taught about European civilizations and their influence, superiority, and overall success; though when we go into the African regions we begin to study the colonization and later the Atlantic Slave trade. By teaching Black history solely through the lens of oppression and captivity, we create labels and perceptions that shape modern interpretations of Black identity. These interpretations lead to a similar oppression, and if they continue to teach such history the oppression will continue. Organizations like the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire (BHTNH) seek to challenge this narrative by highlighting not only the struggles of Black Americans but also their achievements, contributions, and successes. By expanding and enriching historical narratives, BHT helps combat prejudice and promotes a more complete understanding of history.
By teaching and highlighting the success of many unknown historical figures like Richard Potter and his accomplishments the socio-historical narratives are challenged. In the early 19th century, America was going through rampant geographical and economic expansions.
The cotton industry was in full blossom all over the country. The cotton was being obtained in the south and then shipped north for manufacturing.1 This economic gain allowed America to pursue West and expand its territories. While this success made America a dominant nation, it
was because of the cruel labor they enforced upon African people that ensured this success. This enslavement and oppression is what many young scholars associate to “blackness.” However, figures like Richard Potter challenged this prejudice. Richard Potter or "America's First Black Celebrity" was a magician/ventriloquist. Potter succeeded in a racist country “when almost no [B]lack performers appeared on stage before white audiences.”2 Potter made his claim to fame in the early 19th century, during the same time of American expansion. Teaching the history of African oppression and enslavement is most definitely necessary, but excellence must be studied as well. That is what Black Heritage Trail is doing, by focusing on parts of history that we miss and ultimately share a more accurate narrative.
By celebrating events like Juneteenth BHT helps distribute a history that can be taught beyond the classroom and traditional textbooks. The President of the United States of America thinks Juneteenth is an example of, ““Too many non-working holidays in America” and that “it is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed.” He claims “It must change if we are going to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”3 However, this is a perfect example of the indifference that has caused harm in America. By ignoring a holiday such as Juneteenth, we overlook the experiences and suffering of those who remained enslaved until that day and diminish the significance of their liberation. Instead of bowing down to the federal government, organizations like Black Heritage Trail celebrate the holiday with grace. BHT hosts a Freedom Walk in collaboration with organizations from across the region, bringing together community members to honor those who were once enslaved and are buried in Portsmouth. The celebration also includes speakers who reflect on their lives and legacies. Extending beyond an American perspective, the event features Ghanaian drummers, whose performances celebrate African heritage and the resilience of a liberated culture.
While many within our government and across the country seek to censor or diminish African American history, BHTNH preserves and shares these stories in a place where many would least expect to find them. President Donald Trump issued an order to take down exhibits that "divide Americans based on race."4 By applying the same logic used by some of the most powerful figures in our government, one could argue that much of Black history should be erased because oppression is so deeply intertwined with the African American experience. Yet this reasoning ignores the resilience, achievements, cultures, and contributions that exist alongside that history and deserve to be remembered and celebrated and BHTNH does this to their full power. One example is the mural of Ona Judge. Once enslaved by President George Washington and First Lady Martha Washington, Ona Judge endured the injustices of slavery and racial oppression throughout her life. Rather than allowing that painful history to erase her legacy, BHTNH elevates and honors her story. Her escape from captivity from the most powerful man in America is a feat small for no one. It is the study and appreciation of strong resilient people like Ona that share a truer history. It’s not just her enslavement that we empathize with but her escape and life of freedom that we celebrate.
Freedom, as a broad word, has been given a definition by our federal government. To them freedom is to bow down, freedom is to play by the rules, freedom is not questioning anything, freedom is a privilege, no longer a right. While they don’t say this, it is the systems that they promote that insists this. This definition can be no more and BHTNH is aware of this. Due to this false definition and malpractice of the definition of Freedom, BHT works twice as hard to share this history in a respectful and honest way. Through this work, the organization reminds us that true freedom is rooted in truth, remembrance, and the continued pursuit of justice for all.
1 (Eric Novotny, “Library Guides: American Social History by Eras and Decades: 19th Century America,” guides.libraries.psu.edu, 2021,
https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/c.php?g=339878&p=2287722.)
2 Ashawnta Jackson, "America's First Ventriloquist," JSTOR Daily, August 31, 2023, 1, https://daily.jstor.org/americas-first-ventriloquist/.
3"Trump Criticizes 'non-working Holidays' on Juneteenth | CNN Politics," CNN,
https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/19/politics/trump-non-working-holidays-juneteenth.
4"Critics question why exhibits at the African American History Museum are rotating out," nbcnews.com, last modified May 17, 2025, accessed July 1, 2026,
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/critics-question-exhibits-african-american-history-muse um-are-rotating-rcna207432.