Black Heritage Trail Of New Hampshire Receives Legacy Gift

Portsmouth NH

14 December, 2020

7:21 PM

Description

Press release from the Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth: December 14, 2020 Celebrating Resilience, Versatility, and Courage BHTNH RECEIVES LEGACY GIFT Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire is pleased to announce the receipt of a generous legacy gift from the estate of Charles DeGrandpre, who died earlier this year. The gift was presented to the trail by DeGrandpre's daughter Libby Giordano, pictured above with JerriAnne Boggis and Valerie Cunningham. The gift will be used for Charlie's favorite program - the expansion of our Statewide Historical Marker Program. Charles Allyson DeGrandpre, a native of Jaffrey, NH and longtime member of the Manchester and then Portsmouth communities, was one of the state's pre-eminent trust, and estate attorneys. Read more here POETRY EVENT FINALE Thursday, January 21, 5:00 PM Join us for the final program in The Black Matter Is Life poetry series. The theme is Love, Love, Love. Professors Reginal Wilburn and Dennis Britton will facilitate. The special guest is Pulitzer Prize winning poet Jericho Brown. This program is devoted to the most fundamental of human experiences, love. Explore how African American poetry shows that love is still possible despite racism and injustice. The featured poems for discussion are: George Moses Horton—The Lover's Farewell Gwendolyn Brooks—Lovely Love Nikki Giovanni—Resignation Jericho Brown—Like Father Read more here Register here Jericho Brown reads three of his poems, "Prayer of the Backhanded," "Labor," and "Foreday in the Morning." NHPR INTERVIEW NHPR's Peter Biello speaks with JerriAnne Boggis, Executive Director of The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire about a Black Poetry Series Designed to "Mend What's Broken." Listen here If you missed the discussion, here's an opportunity to view the event, In Protest, that featured guest poet Patricia Smith. SPECIAL HOLIDAY HOURS ON SATURDAYS Special Holiday Sale on Selected Items Stop by our gift shop at 222 Court St. to purchase some unique gifts, including Trail T-shirts and jewelry that are 50% off. You can also purchase books and beautiful prints by Richard Haynes from his underground railroad series, Whispering Quilts. The gift shop will be open on Saturday, December 19 from 11 AM- 3 PM. Get that special something for that special someone this holiday season! Prints are also available for purchase on our website here Please follow COVID-19 protocols when visiting our gift shop. GET READY FOR 2021 We have some great guests lined up for our 2021 Elenor Willliam's Hooker Tea Talk Series including Lydia Clemmons (February 4), Alayna Dawn Johnson ( February 14), Thomas Moore (February 21), Gretchen Soren (February 28), Renay Allen (March 7) and Jada Hebra (March 14). Stay tuned for more information. COMMUNITY EVENT Friday, December 18 | 6:00 PM (Virtual Event) Black Nativity: 50th Year of Triumph and tradition. The Black Natanity will take a look back over the past 50 years in a new digital remembrance about how Langston Hughes' song play has become one of Boston's (and the world's) most beloved holiday offerings. Read more here DID YOU KNOW? The Black Jews of Harlem are a minority ethnic group in New Yorkwho first appeared in the early 1900s. By 1930 there were at least four groups of Black Jews in Harlem. The most important of these groups was The Commandment Keepers Holy Church of the Living God. Commandment Keepers' founder, Rabbi Matthew, described the natural link between people of African descent and Judaism which he claimed extended from Abraham through King Solomon of Israel and Queen Sheba of Ethiopia who founded the line of kings who ruled Ethiopia. He affirmed that the "original" Jews were people of non-European descent who inhabited northeastern Africa and the Arabian peninsula. Yet, the Black Jews of Harlem were typically West Indian, East African, or South American in origin. 2020 REFOCUSING Please consider making a gift online at blackheritagetrailnh.org/giving in support of our work to raise awareness of New Hampshire's Black history and culture. This press release was produced by the Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth. The views expressed are the author's own.