HIGHLIGHTING A POWERFUL PART OF OUR HISTORY.
♪ JENNIFER: PORTSMOUTH IS KNOWN FOR ITS DEEP AND RICH HISTORY.
A SEAPORT ONCE HOME TO SHIPS, CAPTAINS, AND SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND CONSTITUTION.
CHURCHES WHERE OUR FIRST PRESIDENTS SOMETIMES WORSHIPED.
IT WAS ALSO A HARBOR TOWN IN THE EARLIEST DAYS OF THE SLAVE TRADE, WHERE YOUNG AFRICANS STOLEN FROM THEIR FAMILIES WERE SOLD INTO SLAVERY.
>> THE FIRST SLAVE SHIP DOCKED HERE IN 1645.
THAT’S THE FIRST AFRICAN WE HAVE ON RECORD HERE.
FRITZ: -- JENNIFER: A BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL HAS 20 MARKERS ACROSS THE CITY, FORMING A SELF-GUIDED TOUR FROM THE FIRST SLAVE SHIPS TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, ILLUMINATING THE
LESSER-KNOWN BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE FABRIC OF OUR HISTORY.
♪ JENNIFER: THAT TRAIL CONTINUOUSLY GROWING.
IN 2015, ALONG CHESTNUT STREET, THE MEMORIAL PARK WAS FINALLY COMPLETED, HONORING HUNDREDS OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS BURIED HERE CENTURIES AGO ON WHAT WAS ONCE THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN, IN A
SEGREGATED BURIAL GROUND.
THERE REMAINS PAINT OVER AND SEEMINGLY DISREGARDED.
HISTORY IS NOT HIDDEN ANYMORE, IT IS OUT IN THE OPEN.
IT IS A PLACE FOR US TO START THE DIALOGUE.
JENNIFER: AND NOW, THE STORIES ARE ALSO SHARED IN SEEMED TORS GUTTED BY -- TOURS GUIDED BY SCHOLARS.
>> WHEN THERE HAS BEEN SOMETHING IN OUR HISTORY OR COMMUNITY THAT WAS WRONG, WE CAN RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER NOT BY FORGETTING IT, BUT GOING BACK IN BRINGING IT FORWARD.
JENNIFER WITH THE STORIES WOVEN FROM DETAILS FOUND IN DOCUMENTS AND DIARIES OF REAL PEOPLE LIKE CYRUS, WHO WORKED FOR THE GOVERNOR, A SIGNER OF THE CONSTITUTION.
>> HE WAS ENSLAVED BY SOMEONE ELSE AND ESCAPED THAT ENSLAVEMENT AND HE CAME A PAVED SERVICE -- SERVANT IN LANGDON’S HOUSEHOLD.
HE MARRI FLORENCE, WHO WAS OWNED.
JENNIFER: THERE WERE SLAVE AUCTIONS?
>> YES, AND SHE WAS ENSLAVED IN THAT HOUSEHOLD.
♪ JENNIFER: AN ACTOR INTERPRETS THE LIFE OF THE LOCAL BLACK MARINER, WITH AN EYE AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE A FAILURE -- TO BE A SAILOR TRAVELING IN AND OUT
OF THE PORT AT THE TIME.
>> IT WAS HARD FOR A BLACK SAILOR TO GET DOWN SOUTH.
THE PEOPLE WHO HAD SLAVES DID NOT WANT THEM TO SEE A FANCY DRESSED BLACK MAN WITH FREEDOM TO ROAM AS HE PLEASED, BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD THEM IDEAS ABOUT HOW THEY COULD LIVE.
JENNIFER: DOCUMENTS SHOW THAT JACK WAS MARRIED TO A WOMAN NAMED OWN A JUDGE.
SHE WAS ENSLAVED BY THE WASHINGTON’S, GEORGE AND MARTHA.
SHE ESCAPED FROM THE PRESIDENT’S MANSION IN PHILADELPHIA AND ENDED UP IN PORTSMOUTH.
JENNIFER: JERRY AND IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BLACK HERITA TRAIL, TO SHARE STORIES ACROSS THE STATE.
>> THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO PUBLISH A NOVEL WAS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
WHO KNEW?
FOR THE FIRST INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN MUSICIAN IN ANDOVER?
OR ANDOVER, THERE WAS AN OPERA SINGER WHO HAD A SCHOOL WHO WAS A WOMAN OF COLOR.
THESE STORIES CREATE DIFFERENT IMAGES OF WHAT WE THINK BLACK PEOPLE ARE, PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE, THEY ARE RIGHT HERE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WITH RICH, VIBRANT STORIES.
JENNIFER: UNCOVERING SO MANY.
>> WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THAT, WE SAID WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO IS A STATEWIDE TRAIL AND CONNECT THESE STORIES AND SHARE THESE STORIES, BECAUSE SO OFTEN NEW HAMPSHIRE IS PORTRAYED AS
THE WIDEST STATE IN THE UNION.
>> THERE ARE MANY WONDERFUL STORIES OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO LIVED IN THIS COMMUNITY AND BROUGHT WITH THEM TRADITIONS, VALUES, AND CULTURE.
JENNIFER LIKE REBECCA AND DINA, INFLUENC ENSLAVED NEARBY.
>> WAS IMPORTANT TO THEM TO KNOW HOW TO DO MATH SO THEY COULD CARRY ON THE BUSINESS NEEDS OF THEIR OWNERS.
THEY WERE ABLE TO TEACH CHILDREN AND THE FIELD HANDS WERE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE THESE SKILLS.
THEY COULD TEACH THE FIELD HANDS AS WELL.
JENNIFER: IN A NEARBY PARKING LOT, THE STORY OF AN EMANCIPATED COUPLE, WHOSE LARGE HOME STOOD ON THE SPOT HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO.
RECORDS SHOW THAT WHILE ONLY THREE PEOPLE LIVED THERE, IT WAS FILLED WITH BEDS AND FOOD AND CLOTHING.
>> SO MAYBE A ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.
WE CAN’T PROVE THAT, BUT ALL OF THAT PROBATE INFORMATION SHOWS THAT THEY WERE TAKING CARE OF OTHER PEOPLE, SHELTERING THEM AND HELPING THEM ON THE WAY TO FREEDOM.
JENNIFER: EVEN THE OFFICE OF THE BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL OF NEW HAMPSHIRE WAS THE HOME OF THE BLACK RECTOR WHO LISTED SLAVES AS POSSESSIONS.
>> I IMAGINE THAT IN THE ANCESTRAL WAY, THOSE SLAVES ARE PERHAPS SOME OF THE ENERGY THAT BROUGHT US TO THIS BUILDING IN PORTSMOUTH.
THIS IS OUR OFFICE NOW.
THE HISTORY STARTS AT OUR DOOR.
>> HOPEFULLY THROUGH THESE STORIES, WE CREATE SPACES IN OUR HEARTS TO OPEN UP AND SEE THAT AT -- THAT PEOPLE ARE AFTER ALL JUST PEOPLE.