New Hampshire’s Little-Known
Black Daughters

at the
Dover Public Library

New Hampshire has a long, rich, and vibrant African-American history.  On Monday evening March 31 at 7pm, the Friends of the Dover Public Library are pleased to present a program by JerriAnne Boggis and Courtney Marshall entitled “New Hampshire’s Little-Known Black Daughters”.  They will discuss the lives and contributions of two local  African-American women:  Nellie Brown Mitchell, a renowned 19^th century opera singer and concert company owner from Dover, and Harriet E. Wilson, an author from Milford who penned “Our Nig, or Sketches from the Life of a Free Black”  in 1859. Re-discovered in 1982 by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., this book has been documented as the first African-American novel published in the United States.  

               

This dynamic program will explore themes of community, history, and identity and the continuing importance of Black history in New Hampshire. Courtney Marshall is an Assistant Professor of English and Women’s Studies at the University of New Hampshire. Her field of research includes African-American literature, critical race feminism, queer ethnic studies, and law and popular culture. JerriAnne Boggis is the Director of the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail and the Harriet Wilson Project who works to tell the little-known stories of Black history in New Hampshire and beyond.

            

For more information on this free program, call the Dover Public Library at 603-516-6050.

Great Stone Face Book Talk #15 & 16

Members of the GSF Committee have written "booktalks" to spark interest in reading all 20 titles on the list of nominees. Last November, I thought it would be fun to post one of their book talks every week which should have taken us through the winter months--just in time for voting during National Library Week in April!  Somewhere along the way, I must have had "brain freeze" from the cold weather as there are 6 book talks left.  We don't want 6 more weeks of winter so I am posting 2 book talks this week and next!
Here is "GSF Booktalk" #15:

Prairie Evers
by Ellen Airgood

Suddenly, you aren’t in Kansas anymore…. well not in North Carolina at least. Ten year old Prairie Evers finds herself uprooted from the home she has known all her life. Her mom has inherited the family farm. As her parents and Grammy try to re-root in upstate New York, Prairie’s life is about to change forever. Prairie delves into farm life by raising little chicks, and continues her homeschooling with Grammy. Like a tornado, all breaks loose in Prairie’s life. Grammy decides to return to North Carolina, Mom takes a job and Dad is busy with his woodwork. Terrified, Prairie finds herself enrolled in the local school. Never has she been around so many kids and chaos. How will Prairie survive? Will she fit in? What about friends? Join Prairie on her journey of loss, discovery, friendship and sharing.

Booktalk by Catherine Ryan, GSF Committee

And #16:

The Prairie Thief

by Melissa Wiley

Louisa Brody is beside herself when her Pa is accused of stealing from their neighbors, the Smirches.

To make matters worse, she has to stay with them while her father is locked up in jail thirty miles away. Life with the Smirches is awful, but Louisa finds a
friend in Jessamine, the Smirches's orphaned niece. Jessamine is lively and full of stories. Jessamine claims to have seen a wee person – a brownie. Louisa doesn't believe her-until she comes face to face with the little man herself. Though he seems cranky he has a good heart. Can this cranky Brownie help solve the mystery of the stolen goods and help free Louisa’s Pa from jail?
Read The Prairie Thief and find out. 
Booktalk written by Lorreen Keating- GSF Committee/North Hampton Public Library