Valerie Cunningham

Located at Portsmouth Historical Society, 10 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH

 (b. 1942) Cultural historian, activist and mentor, Valerie Cunningham, was born in Portsmouth. her painstaking research recovered and celebrated the stories of Black life in Portsmouth and beyond. In 1994, she published the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail Resource Book and curriculum guide for distribution in schools and libraries throughout NH. In 1996, she established the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail with bronze markers and a guided walking tour. She co-authored Black Portsmouth: Three Centuries of African American Heritage with Mark Sammons (2004).) By centering Portsmouth's Black residents in a history that spans continents and centuries, Cunningham's work became a model for public historians. In 2008, she was named a Restore America Hero by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and HGTV, and in 2019 received the American Association of State and Local History national Award of Excellence. 

Presented on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail; August 29, 2024.