PORTSMOUTH, NH — September 21, 2026 — You don’t have to attend the Black New England Conference to experience one of its most popular offerings.
The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire (BHTNH) is opening its Black history bus tours to the general public during the 20th Annual Black New England Conference (BNEC), October 23–24, 2026. The guided tours invite residents and visitors alike to get out into New Hampshire communities and discover the people, places, and stories that have shaped more than three centuries of Black life in the state.
Participants can choose from three distinctive bus tours:
● MANCHESTER — Building Black Enterprise Discover generations of Black entrepreneurs who turned business ownership into a pathway toward independence, opportunity, and community power. Explore the people and places that reveal a lesser-known history of Black enterprise in New Hampshire’s largest city.
● MILFORD — Harriet E. Wilson and the Abolition Movement Explore the life and landscape that shaped Harriet E. Wilson, author of the groundbreaking 1859 novel Our Nig. Visit sites connected to Wilson’s remarkable story and discover Milford’s connections to abolition, race, and the struggle for freedom in 19th-century New Hampshire.
● PORTSMOUTH — Never Caught: The Washingtons & Ona Marie Judge Trace Ona Marie Judge’s courageous journey from enslavement in George and Martha Washington’s household to freedom in New Hampshire. Follow the places and stories connected to her escape and discover the Portsmouth community that helped make it possible for her to remain free despite the Washingtons’ repeated efforts to recapture her.
“History takes on a different meaning when you can stand in the places where it happened,” said JerriAnne Boggis, Executive Director of the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire. “These tours invite people to look at familiar New Hampshire communities with new eyes and discover stories that have always been part of our shared history.”
The tours are open to everyone. Conference registration is not required. All buses depart from Southern New Hampshire University’s Millyard Building in Manchester, but participants may also arrange to join a tour in the town being visited. Those wishing to meet a tour locally should contact BHTNH in advance for details and meeting locations.
The tours are being offered in conjunction with BHTNH’s 20th Annual Black New England Conference, Shape Tomorrow in an Age of Erasure, taking place October 23–24 in Manchester. The conference brings together scholars, artists, community leaders, and the public for two days of conversations examining Black identity, autonomy, economic power, representation, and the work of shaping the future.
For tour schedules, pricing, registration, or information about joining a tour locally, visit Black New England Conference or call us at (603)570-8469.
About the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire
The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the history, contributions, and experiences of African Americans in New Hampshire. Through tours, educational programs, public events, and historical research, BHTNH connects the past to the present and helps ensure Black history remains part of the story of New Hampshire and America.