In this powerful and timely episode, I’m honored to connect with historian JerriAnne Boggis — Executive Director of the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire — for a deeply resonant conversation about history, healing, and holding onto the truth.
JerriAnne shares her personal journey from Jamaica to New Hampshire, the legacy of Black women trailblazers, and the 450-year untold story of Black lives in one of America’s whitest states. She reminds us that Black history isAmerican history — and once you know the truth, you can’t unknow it.
Together, we talk about:
🧭 The importance of preserving stories that are often erased
📚 The groundbreaking legacy of Harriet Wilson, the first Black woman to publish a novel in English
🧠 Why beliefs are harder to change than policies — and how deep-seated bias still shapes resistance to truth
🧬 Her organization’s powerful Juneteenth program and how descendants of both enslaved people and presidents are reclaiming history together
💃🏾 The role of joy, dancing, and family stories in our collective healing
JerriAnne’s work is a powerful reminder that preserving and sharing our history isn’t just about the past — it’s how we shape our future.
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN:
📍 Why Black history matters everywhere — even in places you wouldn’t expect
📍 How one woman’s novel shifted a state’s sense of place and belonging
📍 Why cultural erasure is intentional — and how we resist it
📍 The healing power of community, movement, and remembering who we are
📍 How the Black Heritage Trail is using tech, tours, and truth-telling to shift minds and hearts
✨ Listen in to be inspired, grounded, and reminded that we’ve survived worse. And they’re not going to take our joy.
🖤 Visit the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire: blackheritagetrailnh.org
Share this post