Walk Through History. Experience Stories That Changed New Hampshire.

Step into the streets of Portsmouth to uncover the powerful, often hidden stories of Black lives that shaped New Hampshire—from enslavement and resistance to freedom, legacy, and belonging.
More than just a tour, our trained Sankofa Scholars will take you on a journey that connects the past to the present and invites you to see history and your place in it differently.
Sankofa Tour Guides are specially trained interpreters who lead our tours through the lens of the Black experience. Inspired by the Akan principle of Sankofa—“go back and get it”—they recover and share overlooked histories, offering a deeper, more truthful understanding of New Hampshire’s past.

Portsmouth Guided Walking Tours

Also see Black Heritage Trail Tours in Exeter, Milford, Hancock, & Kittery, ME

Tour Details

Duration: 90 minutes 
Location: Portsmouth, NH (Starting at 222 Court Street) 
Pricing
Adults: $20 
Seniors: $15 
Youth: $10 
Group Size: Up to 20 people 
Walking Level: Moderate

Reserve Your Spot Today

2026 Portsmouth Guided Walking Tour Schedule

Filter Events
May 21, 2026

Ona Judge Day Tour

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Sonya Arroyo

In 2022, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu signed a bill that declared May 21 st to be Ona Judge Day. The declaration honors that day in 1796 on which Ona Maria Judge Staines left the residence of President George and Martha Washington in Philadelphia, boarded a ship to Portsmouth, and lived a long and dignified life in New Hampshire, free, but a fugitive.

On this special Ona Judge Day Tour, you will hear the true story of a young woman's quest for freedom. See the waterfront where Ona landed and visit the Portsmouth properties of some of America's most famous families - the Langdons, Warners, and Lears - whose stories are also bound to her incredible journey.

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

May 23, 2026

Lives Bound Together: The Washingtons & Ona Marie Judge in NH

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Sonya Arroyo

During President George Washington’s final months in office, a woman named Ona Marie Judge was enslaved in the household of the First Family. In the spring of 1775, she sought her freedom, escaping from the Washingtons' executive mansion in Philadelphia with the aid of that city’s free Black community and making her way to Portsmouth. On this tour, you will hear the true story of Judge’s quest for freedom and the President’s relentless efforts to get her back. See the waterfront where she lands and visit the properties of some of America’s most famous families: the Langdons, Whipples, and Lears, whose stories were also bound to hers.

 

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

May 30, 2026

Thirst for Freedom: From NH's Slave Trade to Its Civil Rights Movement

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop

Colonial Portsmouth newspapers testify to local involvement in the slave trade, runaway freedom-seekers, 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 locally in newspaper reports of the struggles to end de facto segregation in housing, employment, and public places. This tour includes many of those historic landmarks from the early seventeenth through the twentieth centuries.

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

June 6, 2026

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

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Valerie Fagin

Can you imagine the hustle and bustle of a prosperous colonial seaport town? This interactive tour invites you to discover the world of past and present Portsmouth from the perspective of African-born and next generations of African American women. Learn how, in spite of enslavement and the burdens of racial discrimination, these pioneers of change fought for justice and freedom, defied a sitting United States president, and educated generations of children. Hear the stories and celebrate the resilience, versatility, and courage revealed in our shared seacoast his/herstory!

July 18, 2026

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

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Valerie Fagin

Can you imagine the hustle and bustle of a prosperous colonial seaport town? This interactive tour invites you to discover the world of past and present Portsmouth from the perspective of African-born and next generations of African American women. Learn how, in spite of enslavement and the burdens of racial discrimination, these pioneers of change fought for justice and freedom, defied a sitting United States president, and educated generations of children. Hear the stories and celebrate the resilience, versatility, and courage revealed in our shared seacoast his/herstory!

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

July 25, 2026

Prince Whipple and the 1779 Petition

Sankofa Tour Guide: Stanford Cross

Experience a unique journey into history on our Living History Tour. Get an intimate understanding of Prince Whipple, the brave men who stood with him in signing the Petition of Freedom, his personal insights into the debates for Independence, and his service in the NH militia. The tour takes you to significant sites of his life after freedom, including his family home and the First Ladies African Charitable School established by his wife Dinah. Discover the lesser-known side of Prince Whipple as an influential event manager.


Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

August 1, 2026

Thirst for Freedom: From NH's Slave Trade to Its Civil Rights Movement

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop

Colonial Portsmouth newspapers testify to local involvement in the slave trade, runaway freedom-seekers, 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 locally in newspaper reports of the struggles to end de facto segregation in housing, employment, and public places. This tour includes many of those historic landmarks from the early seventeenth through the twentieth centuries.

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

August 8, 2026

Lives Bound Together: The Washingtons & Ona Marie Judge in NH

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Sonya Arroyo

During President George Washington’s final months in office, a woman named Ona Marie Judge was enslaved in the household of the First Family. In the spring of 1775, she sought her freedom, escaping from the Washingtons' executive mansion in Philadelphia with the aid of that city’s free Black community and making her way to Portsmouth. On this tour, you will hear the true story of Judge’s quest for freedom and the President’s relentless efforts to get her back. See the waterfront where she lands and visit the properties of some of America’s most famous families: the Langdons, Whipples, and Lears, whose stories were also bound to hers.

 

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

August 15, 2026

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

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Lionel Loveless

Can you imagine the hustle and bustle of a prosperous colonial seaport town? This interactive tour invites you to discover the world of past and present Portsmouth from the perspective of African-born and next generations of African American women. Learn how, in spite of enslavement and the burdens of racial discrimination, these pioneers of change fought for justice and freedom, defied a sitting United States president, and educated generations of children. Hear the stories and celebrate the resilience, versatility, and courage revealed in our shared seacoast his/herstory!

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

August 29, 2026

Prince Whipple and the 1779 Petition

Sankofa Tour Guide: Stanford Cross

Experience a unique journey into history on our Living History Tour. Get an intimate understanding of Prince Whipple, the brave men who stood with him in signing the Petition of Freedom, his personal insights into the debates for Independence, and his service in the NH militia. The tour takes you to significant sites of his life after freedom, including his family home and the First Ladies African Charitable School established by his wife Dinah. Discover the lesser-known side of Prince Whipple as an influential event manager.


Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

September 26, 2026

Lives Bound Together: The Washingtons & Ona Marie Judge in NH

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Sonya Arroyo

During President George Washington’s final months in office, a woman named Ona Marie Judge was enslaved in the household of the First Family. In the spring of 1775, she sought her freedom, escaping from the Washingtons' executive mansion in Philadelphia with the aid of that city’s free Black community and making her way to Portsmouth. On this tour, you will hear the true story of Judge’s quest for freedom and the President’s relentless efforts to get her back. See the waterfront where she lands and visit the properties of some of America’s most famous families: the Langdons, Whipples, and Lears, whose stories were also bound to hers.

 

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

October 10, 2026

Thirst for Freedom: From NH's Slave Trade to Its Civil Rights Movement

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop

Colonial Portsmouth newspapers testify to local involvement in the slave trade, runaway freedom-seekers, 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 locally in newspaper reports of the struggles to end de facto segregation in housing, employment, and public places. This tour includes many of those historic landmarks from the early seventeenth through the twentieth centuries.

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

October 17, 2026

Lives Bound Together: The Washingtons & Ona Marie Judge in NH

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Sonya Arroyo

During President George Washington’s final months in office, a woman named Ona Marie Judge was enslaved in the household of the First Family. In the spring of 1775, she sought her freedom, escaping from the Washingtons' executive mansion in Philadelphia with the aid of that city’s free Black community and making her way to Portsmouth. On this tour, you will hear the true story of Judge’s quest for freedom and the President’s relentless efforts to get her back. See the waterfront where she lands and visit the properties of some of America’s most famous families: the Langdons, Whipples, and Lears, whose stories were also bound to hers.

 

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

October 18, 2026

Prince Whipple and the 1779 Petition

Sankofa Tour Guide: Stanford Cross

Experience a unique journey into history on our Living History Tour. Get an intimate understanding of Prince Whipple, the brave men who stood with him in signing the Petition of Freedom, his personal insights into the debates for Independence, and his service in the NH militia. The tour takes you to significant sites of his life after freedom, including his family home and the First Ladies African Charitable School established by his wife Dinah. Discover the lesser-known side of Prince Whipple as an influential event manager.


Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

October 31, 2026

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

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Lionel Loveless

Can you imagine the hustle and bustle of a prosperous colonial seaport town? This interactive tour invites you to discover the world of past and present Portsmouth from the perspective of African-born and next generations of African American women. Learn how, in spite of enslavement and the burdens of racial discrimination, these pioneers of change fought for justice and freedom, defied a sitting United States president, and educated generations of children. Hear the stories and celebrate the resilience, versatility, and courage revealed in our shared seacoast his/herstory!

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

November 1, 2026

Thirst for Freedom: From NH's Slave Trade to Its Civil Rights Movement

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop

Colonial Portsmouth newspapers testify to local involvement in the slave trade, runaway freedom-seekers, 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 locally in newspaper reports of the struggles to end de facto segregation in housing, employment, and public places. This tour includes many of those historic landmarks from the early seventeenth through the twentieth centuries.

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

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2026 Portsmouth Guided Walking Tour Schedule

Filter Events
Guide in historical costume speaks to a small tour group outside a tan colonial-style house with a bright blue door.
May 21, 2026

Ona Judge Day Tour

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Sonya Arroyo

In 2022, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu signed a bill that declared May 21 st to be Ona Judge Day. The declaration honors that day in 1796 on which Ona Maria Judge Staines left the residence of President George and Martha Washington in Philadelphia, boarded a ship to Portsmouth, and lived a long and dignified life in New Hampshire, free, but a fugitive.

On this special Ona Judge Day Tour, you will hear the true story of a young woman's quest for freedom. See the waterfront where Ona landed and visit the Portsmouth properties of some of America's most famous families - the Langdons, Warners, and Lears - whose stories are also bound to her incredible journey.

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

Three actors in 18th-century costumes perform onstage, portraying a historical scene with expressive gestures and dramatic lighting.
May 23, 2026

Lives Bound Together: The Washingtons & Ona Marie Judge in NH

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Sonya Arroyo

During President George Washington’s final months in office, a woman named Ona Marie Judge was enslaved in the household of the First Family. In the spring of 1775, she sought her freedom, escaping from the Washingtons' executive mansion in Philadelphia with the aid of that city’s free Black community and making her way to Portsmouth. On this tour, you will hear the true story of Judge’s quest for freedom and the President’s relentless efforts to get her back. See the waterfront where she lands and visit the properties of some of America’s most famous families: the Langdons, Whipples, and Lears, whose stories were also bound to hers.

 

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

Black and white photo of civil rights marchers holding signs and walking arm-in-arm; two people clasp hands in the foreground.
May 30, 2026

Thirst for Freedom: From NH's Slave Trade to Its Civil Rights Movement

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop

Colonial Portsmouth newspapers testify to local involvement in the slave trade, runaway freedom-seekers, 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 locally in newspaper reports of the struggles to end de facto segregation in housing, employment, and public places. This tour includes many of those historic landmarks from the early seventeenth through the twentieth centuries.

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

Painting of two Black women in bonnets and aprons standing in a field, one holding a large basket of cotton, the other holding flowers.
June 6, 2026

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

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Valerie Fagin

Can you imagine the hustle and bustle of a prosperous colonial seaport town? This interactive tour invites you to discover the world of past and present Portsmouth from the perspective of African-born and next generations of African American women. Learn how, in spite of enslavement and the burdens of racial discrimination, these pioneers of change fought for justice and freedom, defied a sitting United States president, and educated generations of children. Hear the stories and celebrate the resilience, versatility, and courage revealed in our shared seacoast his/herstory!

Two people unveil a Black Heritage Trail NH marker in Milford, removing a floral cloth to reveal the commemorative plaque.
June 7, 2026

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

Sankofa Tour Guide: David Nelson

Harriet E. Wilson was the first known African American to publish a novel on the North American continent. Born a free person of color in New Hampshire, Wilson was orphaned when young and bound as an indentured servant until the age of 18. Follow a trail to places where the child-servant went as she was growing up and where she struggled to make a living. Learn about Harriet's only son, George, who died in a poor house while she was trying to survive as a widow.

Wilson's book was published in 1859 with her original title, a device to engage the reader in her fictionized autobiography, Our Nig; or Sketches from the Life of a Free Black, in a Two-Story White House, North, Showing that Slavery's Shadows Fall Even There. She wrote only one novel. Wilson went on to be known as a Spiritualist and was paid on the public lecture circuit to talk about her life.

Meeting Place: The Oval in Milford, NH.
Elderly Black women in stylish hats gather around a table set for tea in a warmly decorated room, smiling and enjoying conversation.
July 11, 2026

Kittery's Black Yankees

Sankofa Tour Guides: Erika Varga and Wanda Dorlean

This tour describes how Africans and their descendants, residents of a northern Atlantic port town, used their resilience and cultural traditions of mutual aid to establish one of Maine's earliest African American communities. You will hear stories about enslaved and freed people living here from colonial times and "Black Yankees" of the modern era, a history often ignored and rarely identified with the heritage of New England.

Meeting Place: Parking Lot of Lil's Cafe | 7 Wallingford Square, Downtown Kittery, ME.
Black Heritage Trail NH marker in Dover stands on a grassy area, surrounded by colorful potted flowers under a partly cloudy sky.
July 12, 2026

Exploring Dover’s Black History Tour

Sankofa Tour Guide: Jenny Tibbits (they/them)

Dover is steeped deep in rich Black history. On this tour, you'll hear about the people enslaved by the Waldron family and how the cotton mill built in Dover fueled slavery in the South. You'll discover the Brown/Mitchell family: Nellie Brown Mitchell (renowned Black opera singer), her brother Edward Brown, (lawyer, who submitted to Congress a petition for a national anti-lynching bill and first Black justice of the peace in New Hampshire), and her husband Charles Mitchell (Civil War hero and first Black person elected to the Massachusetts legislature).

Join us to discover their amazing stories of community, resilience, and courage.

Meeting Place: Woodman Museum | 15 Summer St, Dover, NH.
Painting of two Black women in bonnets and aprons standing in a field, one holding a large basket of cotton, the other holding flowers.
July 18, 2026

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

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Valerie Fagin

Can you imagine the hustle and bustle of a prosperous colonial seaport town? This interactive tour invites you to discover the world of past and present Portsmouth from the perspective of African-born and next generations of African American women. Learn how, in spite of enslavement and the burdens of racial discrimination, these pioneers of change fought for justice and freedom, defied a sitting United States president, and educated generations of children. Hear the stories and celebrate the resilience, versatility, and courage revealed in our shared seacoast his/herstory!

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

Two people unveil a Black Heritage Trail NH marker in Milford, removing a floral cloth to reveal the commemorative plaque.
July 19, 2026

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

Sankofa Tour Guide: David Nelson

Harriet E. Wilson was the first known African American to publish a novel on the North American continent. Born a free person of color in New Hampshire, Wilson was orphaned when young and bound as an indentured servant until the age of 18. Follow a trail to places where the child-servant went as she was growing up and where she struggled to make a living. Learn about Harriet's only son, George, who died in a poor house while she was trying to survive as a widow.

Wilson's book was published in 1859 with her original title, a device to engage the reader in her fictionized autobiography, Our Nig; or Sketches from the Life of a Free Black, in a Two-Story White House, North, Showing that Slavery's Shadows Fall Even There. She wrote only one novel. Wilson went on to be known as a Spiritualist and was paid on the public lecture circuit to talk about her life.

Meeting Place: The Oval in Milford, NH.
Gloved hands hold an aged handwritten historical document with elegant script, possibly a petition or legal record.
July 25, 2026

Prince Whipple and the 1779 Petition

Sankofa Tour Guide: Stanford Cross

Experience a unique journey into history on our Living History Tour. Get an intimate understanding of Prince Whipple, the brave men who stood with him in signing the Petition of Freedom, his personal insights into the debates for Independence, and his service in the NH militia. The tour takes you to significant sites of his life after freedom, including his family home and the First Ladies African Charitable School established by his wife Dinah. Discover the lesser-known side of Prince Whipple as an influential event manager.


Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

Black and white photo of civil rights marchers holding signs and walking arm-in-arm; two people clasp hands in the foreground.
August 1, 2026

Thirst for Freedom: From NH's Slave Trade to Its Civil Rights Movement

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop

Colonial Portsmouth newspapers testify to local involvement in the slave trade, runaway freedom-seekers, 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 locally in newspaper reports of the struggles to end de facto segregation in housing, employment, and public places. This tour includes many of those historic landmarks from the early seventeenth through the twentieth centuries.

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

Three actors in 18th-century costumes perform onstage, portraying a historical scene with expressive gestures and dramatic lighting.
August 8, 2026

Lives Bound Together: The Washingtons & Ona Marie Judge in NH

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Sonya Arroyo

During President George Washington’s final months in office, a woman named Ona Marie Judge was enslaved in the household of the First Family. In the spring of 1775, she sought her freedom, escaping from the Washingtons' executive mansion in Philadelphia with the aid of that city’s free Black community and making her way to Portsmouth. On this tour, you will hear the true story of Judge’s quest for freedom and the President’s relentless efforts to get her back. See the waterfront where she lands and visit the properties of some of America’s most famous families: the Langdons, Whipples, and Lears, whose stories were also bound to hers.

 

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

Painting of two Black women in bonnets and aprons standing in a field, one holding a large basket of cotton, the other holding flowers.
August 15, 2026

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

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Lionel Loveless

Can you imagine the hustle and bustle of a prosperous colonial seaport town? This interactive tour invites you to discover the world of past and present Portsmouth from the perspective of African-born and next generations of African American women. Learn how, in spite of enslavement and the burdens of racial discrimination, these pioneers of change fought for justice and freedom, defied a sitting United States president, and educated generations of children. Hear the stories and celebrate the resilience, versatility, and courage revealed in our shared seacoast his/herstory!

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

Collage of historical photos featuring Black individuals and communities from different eras, including portraits and street scenes.
August 23, 2026

A Walking Tour of Exeter’s Racial History

Sankofa 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 and continue to shape its future. Learn about Exeter's legacy related to Atlantic slave trading and hear stories about African Americans who helped shape the town's history.

Learning Exeter’s history can contribute to a richer community dialogue about its present and future.

Meeting Place: Exeter Town Hall | 10 Front St, Exeter.
Gloved hands hold an aged handwritten historical document with elegant script, possibly a petition or legal record.
August 29, 2026

Prince Whipple and the 1779 Petition

Sankofa Tour Guide: Stanford Cross

Experience a unique journey into history on our Living History Tour. Get an intimate understanding of Prince Whipple, the brave men who stood with him in signing the Petition of Freedom, his personal insights into the debates for Independence, and his service in the NH militia. The tour takes you to significant sites of his life after freedom, including his family home and the First Ladies African Charitable School established by his wife Dinah. Discover the lesser-known side of Prince Whipple as an influential event manager.


Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

Collage of historical photos featuring Black individuals and communities from different eras, including portraits and street scenes.
September 13, 2026

A Walking Tour of Exeter’s Racial History

Sankofa 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 and continue to shape its future. Learn about Exeter's legacy related to Atlantic slave trading and hear stories about African Americans who helped shape the town's history.

Learning Exeter’s history can contribute to a richer community dialogue about its present and future.

Meeting Place: Exeter Town Hall | 10 Front St, Exeter.
Three actors in 18th-century costumes perform onstage, portraying a historical scene with expressive gestures and dramatic lighting.
September 26, 2026

Lives Bound Together: The Washingtons & Ona Marie Judge in NH

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Sonya Arroyo

During President George Washington’s final months in office, a woman named Ona Marie Judge was enslaved in the household of the First Family. In the spring of 1775, she sought her freedom, escaping from the Washingtons' executive mansion in Philadelphia with the aid of that city’s free Black community and making her way to Portsmouth. On this tour, you will hear the true story of Judge’s quest for freedom and the President’s relentless efforts to get her back. See the waterfront where she lands and visit the properties of some of America’s most famous families: the Langdons, Whipples, and Lears, whose stories were also bound to hers.

 

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

Elderly Black women in stylish hats gather around a table set for tea in a warmly decorated room, smiling and enjoying conversation.
September 27, 2026

Kittery's Black Yankees

Sankofa Tour Guides: Lillian Buckley and Meaghan Dunn

This tour describes how Africans and their descendants, residents of a northern Atlantic port town, used their resilience and cultural traditions of mutual aid to establish one of Maine's earliest African American communities. You will hear stories about enslaved and freed people living here from colonial times and "Black Yankees" of the modern era, a history often ignored and rarely identified with the heritage of New England.

Meeting Place: Parking Lot of Lil's Cafe | 7 Wallingford Square, Downtown Kittery, ME.
Collage of historical photos featuring Black individuals and communities from different eras, including portraits and street scenes.
October 3, 2026

A Walking Tour of Exeter’s Racial History

Sankofa 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 and continue to shape its future. Learn about Exeter's legacy related to Atlantic slave trading and hear stories about African Americans who helped shape the town's history.

Learning Exeter’s history can contribute to a richer community dialogue about its present and future.

Meeting Place: Exeter Town Hall | 10 Front St, Exeter.
Black and white photo of civil rights marchers holding signs and walking arm-in-arm; two people clasp hands in the foreground.
October 10, 2026

Thirst for Freedom: From NH's Slave Trade to Its Civil Rights Movement

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop

Colonial Portsmouth newspapers testify to local involvement in the slave trade, runaway freedom-seekers, 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 locally in newspaper reports of the struggles to end de facto segregation in housing, employment, and public places. This tour includes many of those historic landmarks from the early seventeenth through the twentieth centuries.

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

Two people unveil a Black Heritage Trail NH marker in Milford, removing a floral cloth to reveal the commemorative plaque.
October 11, 2026

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

Sankofa Tour Guide: David Nelson

Harriet E. Wilson was the first known African American to publish a novel on the North American continent. Born a free person of color in New Hampshire, Wilson was orphaned when young and bound as an indentured servant until the age of 18. Follow a trail to places where the child-servant went as she was growing up and where she struggled to make a living. Learn about Harriet's only son, George, who died in a poor house while she was trying to survive as a widow.

Wilson's book was published in 1859 with her original title, a device to engage the reader in her fictionized autobiography, Our Nig; or Sketches from the Life of a Free Black, in a Two-Story White House, North, Showing that Slavery's Shadows Fall Even There. She wrote only one novel. Wilson went on to be known as a Spiritualist and was paid on the public lecture circuit to talk about her life.

Meeting Place: The Oval in Milford, NH.
Three actors in 18th-century costumes perform onstage, portraying a historical scene with expressive gestures and dramatic lighting.
October 17, 2026

Lives Bound Together: The Washingtons & Ona Marie Judge in NH

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Sonya Arroyo

During President George Washington’s final months in office, a woman named Ona Marie Judge was enslaved in the household of the First Family. In the spring of 1775, she sought her freedom, escaping from the Washingtons' executive mansion in Philadelphia with the aid of that city’s free Black community and making her way to Portsmouth. On this tour, you will hear the true story of Judge’s quest for freedom and the President’s relentless efforts to get her back. See the waterfront where she lands and visit the properties of some of America’s most famous families: the Langdons, Whipples, and Lears, whose stories were also bound to hers.

 

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

Gloved hands hold an aged handwritten historical document with elegant script, possibly a petition or legal record.
October 18, 2026

Prince Whipple and the 1779 Petition

Sankofa Tour Guide: Stanford Cross

Experience a unique journey into history on our Living History Tour. Get an intimate understanding of Prince Whipple, the brave men who stood with him in signing the Petition of Freedom, his personal insights into the debates for Independence, and his service in the NH militia. The tour takes you to significant sites of his life after freedom, including his family home and the First Ladies African Charitable School established by his wife Dinah. Discover the lesser-known side of Prince Whipple as an influential event manager.


Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

Painting of two Black women in bonnets and aprons standing in a field, one holding a large basket of cotton, the other holding flowers.
October 31, 2026

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

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Lionel Loveless

Can you imagine the hustle and bustle of a prosperous colonial seaport town? This interactive tour invites you to discover the world of past and present Portsmouth from the perspective of African-born and next generations of African American women. Learn how, in spite of enslavement and the burdens of racial discrimination, these pioneers of change fought for justice and freedom, defied a sitting United States president, and educated generations of children. Hear the stories and celebrate the resilience, versatility, and courage revealed in our shared seacoast his/herstory!

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

Black and white photo of civil rights marchers holding signs and walking arm-in-arm; two people clasp hands in the foreground.
November 1, 2026

Thirst for Freedom: From NH's Slave Trade to Its Civil Rights Movement

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop

Colonial Portsmouth newspapers testify to local involvement in the slave trade, runaway freedom-seekers, 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 locally in newspaper reports of the struggles to end de facto segregation in housing, employment, and public places. This tour includes many of those historic landmarks from the early seventeenth through the twentieth centuries.

 

Meeting Place: BHTNH Headquarters | 222 Court Street, Portsmouth, NH.

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Ona Judge Day Tour

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Sonya Arroyo

In 2022, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu signed a bill that declared May 21 st to be Ona ...

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Lives Bound Together: The Washingtons & Ona Marie Judge in NH

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Sonya Arroyo

During President George Washington’s final months in office, a woman named Ona Marie Judge ...

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Thirst for Freedom: From NH's Slave Trade to Its Civil Rights Movement

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop

Colonial Portsmouth newspapers testify to local involvement in the slave trade, runaway ...

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

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Valerie Fagin

Can you imagine the hustle and bustle of a prosperous colonial seaport town? This ...

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

Sankofa Tour Guide: David Nelson

Harriet E. Wilson was the first known African American to publish a novel on the North American continent. ...
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Kittery's Black Yankees

Sankofa Tour Guides: Erika Varga and Wanda Dorlean

This tour describes how Africans and their descendants, residents of a northern Atlantic ...
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Exploring Dover’s Black History Tour

Sankofa Tour Guide: Jenny Tibbits (they/them)

Dover is steeped deep in rich Black history. On this tour, you'll hear about the people enslaved ...
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Ain't She A Woman: Let Me Tell You Her Story

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Valerie Fagin

Can you imagine the hustle and bustle of a prosperous colonial seaport town? This ...

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

Sankofa Tour Guide: David Nelson

Harriet E. Wilson was the first known African American to publish a novel on the North American continent. ...
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Prince Whipple and the 1779 Petition

Sankofa Tour Guide: Stanford Cross

Experience a unique journey into history on our Living History Tour. Get an intimate understanding of ...

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Thirst for Freedom: From NH's Slave Trade to Its Civil Rights Movement

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop

Colonial Portsmouth newspapers testify to local involvement in the slave trade, runaway ...

Register Here

Lives Bound Together: The Washingtons & Ona Marie Judge in NH

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Sonya Arroyo

During President George Washington’s final months in office, a woman named Ona Marie Judge ...

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

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Lionel Loveless

Can you imagine the hustle and bustle of a prosperous colonial seaport town? This ...

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A Walking Tour of Exeter’s Racial History

Sankofa Tour Guide: Barbara Rimkunas

Walk in the footsteps of Exeter’s earlier generations and explore the racial history of the town -- the ...
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Prince Whipple and the 1779 Petition

Sankofa Tour Guide: Stanford Cross

Experience a unique journey into history on our Living History Tour. Get an intimate understanding of ...

Register Here

A Walking Tour of Exeter’s Racial History

Sankofa Tour Guide: Barbara Rimkunas

Walk in the footsteps of Exeter’s earlier generations and explore the racial history of the town -- the ...
Register Here

Lives Bound Together: The Washingtons & Ona Marie Judge in NH

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Sonya Arroyo

During President George Washington’s final months in office, a woman named Ona Marie Judge ...

Register Here

Kittery's Black Yankees

Sankofa Tour Guides: Lillian Buckley and Meaghan Dunn

This tour describes how Africans and their descendants, residents of a northern Atlantic ...
Register Here

A Walking Tour of Exeter’s Racial History

Sankofa Tour Guide: Barbara Rimkunas

Walk in the footsteps of Exeter’s earlier generations and explore the racial history of the town -- the ...
Register Here

Thirst for Freedom: From NH's Slave Trade to Its Civil Rights Movement

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop

Colonial Portsmouth newspapers testify to local involvement in the slave trade, runaway ...

Register Here

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

Sankofa Tour Guide: David Nelson

Harriet E. Wilson was the first known African American to publish a novel on the North American continent. ...
Register Here

Lives Bound Together: The Washingtons & Ona Marie Judge in NH

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Sonya Arroyo

During President George Washington’s final months in office, a woman named Ona Marie Judge ...

Register Here

Prince Whipple and the 1779 Petition

Sankofa Tour Guide: Stanford Cross

Experience a unique journey into history on our Living History Tour. Get an intimate understanding of ...

Register Here

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

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Lionel Loveless

Can you imagine the hustle and bustle of a prosperous colonial seaport town? This ...

Register Here

Thirst for Freedom: From NH's Slave Trade to Its Civil Rights Movement

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop

Colonial Portsmouth newspapers testify to local involvement in the slave trade, runaway ...

Register Here

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Tour Guides

Angela Matthews
Angela Matthews

A Quest to Thrive: Economics of Slavery & Portsmouth's Early Black Community; Black Soldiers and the American Revolution

Dan Comly
Dan Comly

On Saturday Night We Were Husband and Wife: The Black Family

Jenny Tibbits (né Todd Warfield)
Jenny Tibbits

Exploring Dover's Black History

Lynn Clark
Lynn Clark

Volunteer, Warner Historical Society

Nur Shoop: Lead Tour Guide
Nur Shoop (Lead Tour Guide)

Thirst for Freedom: From NH's Slave Trade to its Civil Rights Movement; Portsmouth Greenbook Tour

Rebecca Courser
Rebecca Courser

Researcher, Merrimack County

Saniyah Bolton
Saniyah Bolton

Port of Entry: Boys and Girls for Sale

Sonya Arroyo
Stanford Cross
Stanford Cross

Prince Whipple and the 1779 Petition

Valerie Fagin
Valerie Fagin

Ain't She a Woman: Let Me Tell You Her Story

Additional Information

Unless otherwise stated, all guided tours will start at 222 Court Street in Portsmouth. 

Please plan to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to departure time. If you do not arrive 5 minutes before departure time, your spot may be given to another participant. Tours typically take 90 minutes.

Registration is required prior to taking tours. If you have not pre-registered, and if there is space available, we will register you onsite to join the tour.

There is a maximum of 20 participants per tour.

Accessibility & Safety

Accessibility: This tour takes place on Portsmouth’s historic streets, which include narrow sidewalks and cobblestone surfaces that can be uneven.

If you have mobility concerns or specific accessibility needs, we encourage you to reach out. We are committed to making this experience as accessible and welcoming as possible.

Safety: For your health and the safety of our guests, if you have any of the following symptoms, we ask that you refrain from joining a guided tour: Cough, Difficulty Breathing, Shortness of Breath, Fever, Chills.

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