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Profound Homecoming for America 250

PRESS RELEASE 3/3/2026

Boston poet Durane West will open the 7th annual Exeter Literary Festival with a reading of his commissioned poem, “America, it is to thee,” in honor of the America 250 anniversary. The poem serves as a contemporary bridge to our shared history, offering a modern perspective on the nation’s 250-year journey.

The festival is delighted to welcome West to the main stage at the Exeter Town Hall (9 Center St, Exeter, NH). Running from noon to 5 p.m., on April 4th. the event features nearly a dozen authors and poets. A full schedule is available at ExeterLitFest.com. The event is free and open to the public.

West’s appearance marks a profound homecoming; he is a direct descendant of Exeter’s renowned abolitionist poet James Monroe Whitfield, who published America and Other Poems in 1853. The title of West’s new work honors his ancestor’s legacy. Furthermore, West’s lineage traces back to Exeter’s earliest African-American residents, including Caesar Paul and, by marriage, Black Revolutionary War soldier Jude Hall.

BIO: Durane West, spoken word artist and educator, is born and raised in Boston. He channels intense imagery, and intuitive emotional exploration to showcase transparency in his writing. Through versatile form usage and raw introspective diction. West has several years of experience working in the non-profit sector for organizations that aim to improve literacy skills for inner city youth throughout Boston. West was nominated in 2022 and 2024 for Spoken Word Artist of the Year at the Boston Music Awards. His poem “617”, centering the experience of a black Boston resident, was featured and published for the City of Boston in 2021.

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America 250 is the national celebration and commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a milestone known as the Semiquincentennial. While the actual anniversary falls on July 4, 2026, activities and programs are already underway across the United States to honor the nation’s history, founding principles, and future. 

Look for more America 250 events on the Town of Exeter 250 Calendar: exeternh.gov/250cc/exeter-250-event-calendar

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2025 Exeter LitFest Schedule

Spring arrives soon and so does the annual Exeter Litfest in the Exeter Town Hall. This year the board (above 2024) voted to change the name of the April event to “Exeter Literary Festival” but keep the website and all other sundries like the annual Spooky Folsom Halloween party as sponsored by “ExeterLitFest.com.”

To round out the weekend there will be bookish parties/events at other cultural places around town: Friday night kick-off Latin concert at the Exeter Public Library at 6pm, followed by an after-party at the TEAM Gallery, Sunday fun at Up Front Art Gallery.

Below is the town hall schedule for Saturday. Full info and author bios at ExeterLitFest.com

2025 SCHEDULE

Exeter Literary Festival: Saturday, April 5 at Exeter Town Hall

Free & Open to the Public

2025 Featured Authors: J. Courtney Sullivan author of “The Cliffs” & Dr. Tiya Miles author of “Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman: the Faith Dreams of a Free People”

 SCHEDULE:
11am
J. Courtney Sullivan in conversation with Katie Adams (Main Stage)

12:15pm
Keith O’Brien in conversation with Dan Provost (Main Stage)

Independent Publishing in the Modern World: Featuring authors Renay Allen, Michael Cameron Ward, Justin Corriss and Sara North. Moderated by Lara Bricker  (Located in the upstairs gallery)

1:30pm
Damsels and Dragons: Romance, Fantasy, and Marrying the Two. Featuring authors Jacquelyn Benson, Laura Mayo, and Lyra Selene. Moderated by Naomi Farr (Main Stage)
 
Echoes of Now: Poets of the Present Moment. Featuring poets K. Iver, Cate Marvin, and Nathan McClain curated by Diannely Antigua. (Located in the upstairs gallery)

2:45pm

Family and Finding Home. Featuring authors Jane Brox and Alexandra Chan. Moderated by Stef Kiper Schmidt (Main Stage)

Exeter High School Student Poetry. (Located in the upstairs gallery)

4pm
Dr. Tiya Miles in conversation with Caleb Gale (Main Stage)

Don’t forget to visit the book swap table in honor of Bookmobile founder & Robinson Female Seminary alum, Mary Lemist Titcomb!

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2020 Overhaul: New Book, New Site

Hello friends!

It is 2020 and time for an overhaul, on many levels. I am sure you can feel this in your own lives. As for me, I put my newest book up online last week and then decided to overhaul my website. Many days later, I am now ready to present you with a new website that shows a more holistic view of my various endeavors: www.RM-Allen.com

This new site replaces the old NHGoddess.com and streamlines my sprawling array of websites, Facebook pages, Twitters. etc. It gets kinda crazy after a while, don’t you feel that too? So I had to downsize. Simplicity is one of my mottos, after all 🙂

Dedicated to Rhoda Hall,
Jude’s wife.

Now (drumroll) on to the new book, “Incident at Exeter Tavern”, which is the first in a trilogy of mini-mysteries all set in Exeter, NH. The books are historical-fiction in nature and will highlight some of the hidden histories of Exeter, all in the name of telling a more inclusive public history.

In the first book, the contributions of the local black soldiers in the Revolutionary War are dug up and dusted off. Strong women abound in my books, so expect a heavy dose of feminism and fun too. And maybe a topic or two that only a women would dare put in print. On the serious side, the three books will start to ask the question: “What would redress look like in Exeter?”

The second in the series is in the research phase now and will be set in Exeter’s Abolitionist era. But for now, please take a look at the first book -in paperback or Kindle. You can get it online right now – yes!

Or you can wait until my official launch at Water Street Bookstore in a month or so. I will also be speaking for a few minutes in the “Race Matters” 3-part series being held at the Exeter Historical Society in Jan/Feb/March. (My gig is on Feb. 24th.) And then look for me at the annual ExeterLitFest on April 4th, 2020.

Here is a little widget that lets you peek into the book. I really hope you like it. Much love, and thanks for your support! ~ RM Allen