The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire (BHTNH) invites the public to the second panel of the 2025 Elinor Williams Hooker Tea Talk Series themed “The Art of War: Conflict and the African American Philosophy.”  This 2025 Tea Talk is on February 9 at Portsmouth Public Library starting at 2:00 PM with a 90-minute facilitated panel titled: “Hopes and Impediments: War and Strategies for Belonging” followed by a community conversation. 

 

Both in person and streaming online, the second of the four Portsmouth Tea Talks explores how the principle of maneuvering in war emphasizes flexibility and adapting to changing conditions. This session will highlight how, rather than passively accepting their imposed status, African and African American involvement in early wars like the Revolutionary War and the Civil War was both an offensive strategy and a spiritual defiance against a society that deemed them inferior.

 

This panel discussion features Glenn Knoblock, an independent scholar and historian. Knoblock has served as the principal military contributor to Harvard and Oxford University’s landmark African American National Biography and has also written for the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Bob Sheppard, a former broadcast journalist and the son of Master Sgt James A. Sheppard, a member of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. Danielle Rose, the 10 Million Names Volunteer Manager. She oversees the many dedicated volunteers who assist with creating database content for the 10 Million Names Project. Mack Scott, a Visiting Assistant Professor of Slavery and Justice at Brown University will moderate this panel. A historian and educator, he is a member of the Narragansett Indian Tribe.

 

“The Tea Talks are an excellent way to get to know the work of the Black Heritage Trail of NH. and learn about both historic and present topics alongside members of the community.” says volunteer and Program Committee member Anne Romney, “ I’ve been to most every Talk in the last 5+ years and have always been inspired. We are so lucky to have this forum here and I love seeing the devoted fans return each year, eager to partake in these wonderful, thought-provoking talks.”

 

BHTNH invites all who are interested in learning more about New Hampshire’s history, its role in broader national movements, and the ongoing efforts to ensure a fair and equitable society to join for this enlightening discussion. All talks are free and open to the public with registration required for either in-person or virtual options. For more information and to register, please visit the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire’s website at www.BlackHeritageTrailNH.org.

This project was made possible with support from New Hampshire Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities. Learn more at www.nhhumanities.org.