African Americans from Portsmouth made significant contributions to the early and present history of the city, region, and nation. Their influences and contributions are traced from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, both World Wars, through segregation, the fight for civil rights, right up through the Black Lives Matter movement. The people of Portsmouth added greatly to the fields of education, journalism, arts and culture, sports, politics, national security, and more. This article examines Portsmouth’s places and people of interest when learning more about Black History in America.