New Hampshire Black History Stories
NH Black History StoriesDiscover Little Known Figures from Black History in the Northeast
The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire, together with the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire, shares a collection of short stories about often-overlooked Black figures from New Hampshire and Maine.
These stories reveal the courage, achievements, and contributions of people whose lives have been hidden in history. By learning about them, you’ll gain a better understanding of our shared past and the important role Black Americans have played in shaping the Northeast.
Explore these stories, honor their legacies, and feel inspired by their impact.
Stories
Anthony Clark
Warner & Sutton
c. 1756 – 1856
Arthur L. Hilson
Portsmouth
(1936-2019)
Belle Brinkley Williams
Portsmouth
(1878 -1960)
Benjamin Darling
Harbor Island, Maine
1776 – 1829
Black Will
Kittery, ME
(? – died c. 1727)
Boston Bell
Bedford
(1746-1811)
Caesar Bradish
Henniker
(? -1808)
Cato Walker
Goffstown
(? – 1839)
Charles Hall
Newport
(? – 1893)
Coit Mountain Families
Edith Mary Green
Canterbury
(1879-1951)
Flora Stewart
Londonderry
(17?? – 1868)
Forever Unknowns
Throughout New England
Freeman Wallace
Exeter
(c. 1824 – 1916)
Haywood B. Burton
Portsmouth
(1878-1954)
Hazel Colbert and Clayton Sinclair Sr.
Kittery Point, Maine
HAZEL COLBERT SINCLAIR (1901-1995)
CLAYTON SINCLAIR SR (1906-1978)
Hopestill Cheswell & Wentworth Cheswell
Portsmouth & Newmarket
Hopestill Cheswell (c. 1712 – ?)
Wentworth Cheswell (1746-1817)
Inez Bishop
Manchester
(1927 – 2014)
John G. Cutler
Exeter & Hampton
(1833-1913)
Lot Little
Malaga Island
Marguerite (Campbell) Davis
Nashua
(1916 – 1983)
Mel Bolden
Loudon & Concord
(1919-2000)
Nero Prince
Henniker & Boston, MA
(? –c. 1834)
Oxford Tash
Exeter
(? – 1810)
Prince Hastings
Warner
(? – 1842)
Prince Walker
Concord
(c. 1726 – 1825)
Ransom Parker
Hopkinton & Providence, RI
(1806 – 1887)
Rev. Jeffrey Cambell
Nashua
(1910 -1984)
Reverend Thomas Paul
Exeter & Boston, MA
(1773-1831)
Rosary Broxay Cooper
Portsmouth
(1913-1997)
Salem Colby
Newport
(1750s – 1834)
Scipio Page
Simon Drock
Newport
(1760 – c. 1835)
The Brown Family
Portsmouth
The Sankee Family
The Wentworths
Hanover
Timothy Blanchard
Milford
(1791 – 1839)
Vivian E. Washington
Hanover
(1914 – 2007)
William Haskell
Warner
(1819-1896)
Sorry!
No items currently match your filtering criteria.
Upcoming Events
“A Knock at Midnight,” The Legacy of African American Speechmaking | EWH Tea Talks 2026 #1
Sunday, February 1 | 2:00 PM | Portsmouth Public Library | Portsmouth, NH
This opening conversation traces the evolution of Black speechmaking, from the fiery antislavery addresses of Frederick Douglass delivered here in New Hampshire to the soaring cadences of Sojourner Truth, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Malcolm X. Participants will explore how oratory served as both a survival strategy and a weapon of resistance, affirming African American speech as a vital force for social change.
The Black Heritage Trail of NH, The Music Hall Lounge, and New Hampshire PBS present a special screening of excerpts from THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, a film by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt. Following the screening, is a moderated conversation between author and historian Glenn Knoblock and Black heritage Trail executive director JerriAnne Boggis, examining the role of African Americans in the American Revolution.
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, a six-part, 12-hour documentary directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, examines how America's founding turned the world upside down. Thirteen British colonies on the Atlantic Coast rose in rebellion, won their independence, and established a new form of government that radically reshaped the continent and inspired centuries of democratic movements around the globe.
NHPBS in partnership with organizations across the state will host a series of interactive community screeners and conversations exploring the themes of democracy, liberty, freedom and independence.
"The Balm in Gilead", Black Preacher as Orator | EWH Tea Talks 2026 #2
Sunday, February 8 | 4:00 PM | Temple Israel | Portsmouth, NH
The Black preacher has long held a sacred and central role in African American public speech. Beyond their role as religious leaders, preachers have historically served as political voices, cultural transmitters, community organizers, and skilled rhetoricians. This dialogue explores how the pulpit evolved into both a sanctuary and a platform for liberation, influencing the moral and political discourse within communities.
Additional Info
Many of these stories were collected as part of the Lenten Projected with the Reconciliation Commission of the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire. The Reconciliation Commission encourages parish study groups to read together Living into God’s Dream: Dismantling Racism in America, edited by Catherine Meeks, to learn more about the origins and meaning of “the Beloved Community” and the many ways the Spirit draws us closer to its realization.
Preserve Black History in New Hampshire