In 1760, Dinah Chase was born into the family of a prosperous minister in New Castle, New Hampshire. Even though she was enslaved as a domestic, Rev. Stephen Chase saw to it that she was taught how to read.
She moved to Portsmouth and was given her freedom in 1781, on her 21st birthday. She then married Prince Whipple, who had served in the Revolutionary War. At the time of their marriage, Prince was still the slave of William Whipple, an affluent ship’s captain and merchant, also one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. In 1784 he was given his freedom. Prince died in 1796.
Dinah and her seven children remained on the Whipple land, which afforded them the opportunity to build a house with a lifetime lease on a plot of Whipple property. She was one of a handful of nonwhite members of the local Congregational Church lending library. She also ran, from her home, what is believed to be one of the first schools for Black children in NH. This was done under the patronage of the “Ladies Charitable African Society.” Portsmouth tax records show the school operated from 1806-1832. The site is now a part of the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail.
Before her death in 1846, Dinah, who was a former slave, became a champion of education, a leader in her community and a positive influence for future generations.
The following is taken from the Dinah Whipple STEAM Academy:
“The Dinah Whipple STEAM Academy is an immersive educational program that explores science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics (STEAM), as well as the Black experience. The program will take place on the UNH Durham campus this summer, providing students with access to state-of-the-art facilities, advanced technology and award-winning faculty. It is offered through UNH Tech Camp, which has been providing dynamic, experiential summer programs for middle and high school students for more than a decade. All levels of experience are welcome.”
With all the talk lately about rewriting American history that some elected officials find disturbing and would like to cover up, I seriously hope our legislature here in NH embrace this history and learn from it.
Dinah Whipple STEAM Academy | College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (unh.edu)