Black Heritage Trail Of NH Hosts Tea Talk On Black Oratory Feb. 8 In Portsmouth

PORTSMOUTH, NH — The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire will hold the second session of its Elinor Williams Hooker Tea Talk Series on Feb. 8 as part of Black History Month programming.

The event, titled “The Balm in Gilead: Black Preacher as Orator,” will examine the role of Black preachers as public speakers in American history. According to the organization, the discussion will focus on the pulpit as a platform for public discourse and social change.

The session will feature Bishop Michael Curry, retired presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. Angel Simone will serve as host, and the Rev. Robert Thompson will open the program with a reading of James Weldon Johnson’s poem “The Creation.”

The event is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Temple Israel in Portsmouth. It is free and open to the public. Organizers said members of the media are invited to attend, and speakers and staff will be available for interviews.

The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire is a nonprofit organization that offers educational programs and public events focused on African American history and culture.