NHTI invites the public to the next Wings of Knowledge Speaker Series event, “The Abolitionists of Noyes Academy,” with historian Dan Billin. Join us on campus or online as we shine a light on this dark chapter of New Hampshire history.
In 1835, abolitionists opened one of the nation’s first integrated schools in Canaan, NH, attracting eager African-American students from as far away as Boston, Providence, and New York City. Outraged community leaders responded by raising a mob that dragged the academy building off its foundation and ran the African-American students out of town. New Hampshire’s first experiment in educational equality was brief, but it helped launch the public careers of a trio of extraordinary African-American leaders: Henry Highland Garnet, Alexander Crummell, and Thomas Sipkins Sidney. Dan Billin plumbs the depths of anti-abolitionist sentiment in early nineteenth-century New England, and the courage of three young friends destined for greatness.
The presentation will be held Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. at the NHTI Learning Commons Library.
Masks are required for the in-person event or you may join the event online at https://ccsnh.zoom.us/j/ 94169694498?pwd= UDlROHNJZXFYalVD Q3dseU5Zck1LQT09. It is free and open to the public.
Launched in 2001, NHTI’s Wings of Knowledge is an annual series of cultural events that are free and open to the public. The series supports and expands upon NHTI’s academic offerings and is another element in the college’s expanding community college mission. For more information, contact the library at NHTIlibrary@ccsnh.edu.
