Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire: An Open Letter to Members of the New Hampshire Legislature Regarding “HB544 – Relative to the Propagation of Divisive Concepts”
New England is often seen as the cornerstone of United States history and, as such, the history of New Hampshire is integral to the history of this country.
For too many years, however, a critical part of our state’s history has been omitted from its historical markers and from our classrooms—the contributions of Blacks and African Americans. The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire [BHTNH] promotes awareness and appreciation of African American history and life in order to build more inclusive communities today.
When one thinks of New Hampshire, racial diversity is often not at the forefront of minds. Yet, our state has significant stories from the Black community that add to its already rich history. Our work is to ensure that all voices and stories, but especially those from people of African descent, are heard in every corner of the state.
Many of our supporters, your constituents, have shared their excitement and appreciation for adding this perspective to our state’s history. The explosion of support for the Trail over the last year is a testament to the ways in which organizations, schools, and residents see the critical link between our mission and our collective vision for New Hampshire.
Unfortunately, not everyone agrees that Black history is inclusive, and there are some who see it as divisive. HB544 could bring significant harm to the progress we have made in ensuring that all of our history is seen and told throughout the state. HB544 will make it difficult to have honest conversations about both the good and bad of New Hampshire history. It will impede our ability to discuss how racism affects the lives of Granite Staters, and how we can work together to make New Hampshire a more just and inclusive state.
In the famous words of Maya Angelou, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” New Hampshire can do better. The Board of Directors of BHTNH urge our elected legislators to support the House Minority Committee vote “Inexpedient to Legislate.” Vote “indefinitely postpone” should this bill or similar efforts reach the floor of the House or Senate.
BHTNH Board of Directors