Few people think of a rich Black heritage when they think of New England. In the pioneering book Black Portsmouth, Mark J. Sammons and Valerie Cunningham celebrate it, guiding the reader through more than three centuries of New England and Portsmouth social, political, economic, and cultural history as well as scores of personal and site-specific stories. Here, we meet such Africans as the "likely negro boys and girls from Gambia," who debarked at Portsmouth from a slave ship in 1758, and Prince Whipple, who fought in the American Revolution. We learn about their descendants, including the performer Richard Potter and John Tate of the People’s Baptist Church, who overcame the tragedies and challenges of their ancestors’ enslavement and subsequent marginalization to build communities and families, found institutions, and contribute to their city, region, state, and nation in many capacities. Individual entries speak to broader issues—the anti-slavery movement, American religion, and foodways, for example. We also learn about the extant historical sites important to Black Portsmouth—including the surprise revelation of an African burial ground in October 2003—as well as the extraordinary efforts being made to preserve remnants of the city’s early Black heritage.

By offering a documented listing of names of African Americans and Native Americans who supported the cause of the American Revolution, we hope to inspire the interest of descendents in the efforts of their ancestors and in the work of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

From the docks of Portsmouth, where merchants engaged in the trans-Atlantic slave trade unloaded their cargo, to the northern border with Canada, where many escaping captives found their first moment of freedom, the Granite State holds a multitude of stories that mark the milestones of its complex history.For more than 300 years, the lives of African people and their descendants have been a part of New Hampshire's history. African-American history has long been hidden in the shadows even though Black lives have been intermixing with White lives in highly personal ways.The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire works to open hearts and minds to a deeper understanding of who we are as a collective and to recognize that we share a uniquely American heritage.Building on our success with the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail that started more than two decades ago, the new Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire will connect the stories of New Hampshire's African heritage by documenting and making visible historic sites that testify to this rich history.Guided tours and public programs, along with educational materials and teacher workshops, will continue to be developed by the Black Heritage Trail to promote awareness of African-American culture and to honor all the people of African descent whose names may not have been included in previous town histories.As we celebrate a people's history of resilience, versatility and courage, we invite everyone to explore for themselves what our shared history means and bring that understanding into the present.

Article abstracts and citations of reviews and dissertations covering the United States and Canada.