Portsmouth African Burying Ground

Portsmouth African Burying Ground is a memorial at Chestnut Street honoring Black individuals who were buried in Portsmouth during the colonial period. Eight bronze and concrete silhouettes stand in a semi-circle around a burial vault containing the remains of thirteen people.

The burial ground was active from 1705 to 1803 and served as a final resting place for nearly 200 Black individuals, both free and enslaved, in colonial Portsmouth. The memorial was completed in 2015 to acknowledge and honor this overlooked chapter of local history.

The memorial displays the West African Sankofa symbol on the burial vault lid, representing the importance of learning from the past to build a better future. Visitors come to this place to reflect on the lives and contributions of Black people who lived in colonial New England.

The site is open to the public and features informative plaques explaining the significance of this location in New England's history. The memorial opened in 2015 and provides a quiet space for reflection and learning.

Two bronze figures at the entrance depict a man facing east toward Africa and a woman facing west, symbolizing the separation caused by slavery. These opposing gazes serve as a powerful reminder of the disruption of families and communities.