The Great Migration: Military Service and the Shaping of a Diversified New Hampshire (Manchester)

Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire

2025 Elinor Williams Hooker Tea Talk Series, Expanded

In The Art of War, Sun Tzu highlights the importance of using terrain to one's advantage. For African Americans, navigating the U.S. political and social landscape often required knowing when and where to engage. Many viewed military service as a means of achieving social mobility, financial security, and proving their patriotism.

This panel will examine the integration of military bases in New Hampshire—such as Pease, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and Grenier in Manchester—and how these bases contributed to the state's diversification. Panelists will also discuss how military service became a tool for asserting rights and claiming full citizenship.

Presenters:

Timothy Berry, Class President 2013, US Military Academy at West Point

Leah Dearborn, Assoc. Director, Aviation Museum, Manchester, NH

Moderator: Grace Kindeke

For more information, visit Elinor Williams Hooker Tea Talks 2025 - Black Heritage Trail NH