African Burial Ground National Monument
The African Burial Ground National Monument is located in Lower Manhattan, close to Foley Square and just north of City Hall in New York City, NY. The main center is inside the Ted Weiss Federal Building at 290 Broadway. The memorial is located behind the Ted Weiss Federal Building on the corner of Duane Street and Africa Burial Ground (Elk St.). The monument was registered on the National Register of Historic Places on April 19, 1993 and designated as a National Historical Landmark in February 2006.[1]
The African Burial Ground was preserved as a National Monument by President George W. Bush on February 27, 2006. The mission of the African Burial Ground National Monument is "to promote understanding of related resources, continue continuing research, and present interpretive opportunities and programs for visitors to better understand and honor the culture and vital contributions of generations of African and Americans of African descent to our Nation… ”[2]
Background
In 1626, the Dutch West Indies Company imported its first slaves from West Africa. The Dutch viewed slavery differently from their British counterparts. When the Dutch handed over power to Britain in 1664, Africa's population had reached 40%. Britain continued the slave trade and with the Revolutionary War, New York owned more slaves than any other colony.
British treatment of slaves was harsher than that of the Dutch. They imposed more restrictions and deprived freed former slaves. Subsequently, Britain imposed a ban on the burial of Africans in the official churchyard in Lower Manhattan in 1696.
Under British rule, slaves were subject to a curfew and were not allowed to gather in large groups. In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, Africans began to use the two-block area north of where City Hall is now a cemetery. Geography consists of a ravine that runs east to the northeast from Broadway to the Collect Pond and is considered to be outside the city limits. It was at this location that African slaves were allowed to gather and practice the cultural tradition of night burials. Archaeologists estimate that more than 20,000 burials are on this seven-acre plot.
For decades, unmarked cemeteries were covered by construction and landfills. This discovery profoundly affected hereditary and broader communities and, at the same time, a renewed awareness of the cultural significance and historical preservation.[3]
Managed by the General Services Administration (GSA), the entire project is testimony to the positive and collaborative partnership between many parties, including the Department of National Parks Services, the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation, Howard University, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and the African America community.
Through activism and community commitment, the African Burial Ground was awarded a National Historic Landmark designation in 1993 and was named a National Monument in 2006. The African Burial Ground National Monument, located on the corner of Duane and Elk Streets in lower Manhattan, is operated by the National Park Service.[4]
Vandalism
In 2018, African Burial Ground was vandalized by a racist message that suggested that African Americans should be killed. The monument was defaced with the word "kill" followed by a racial slur written in black marker.[5][6] A weeks after the incident, a 57-year-old man was detained by the Police on suspicion of destroying the Monument. The suspect, Ivan Nieves, is accused of vandalizing the monument on November 1, using a marker to write an anti-black statement. He faces vandalism and disorderly conduct charges.[7][8]
References
- ↑ New York: African Burial Ground National Monument. National Park Service August 18 2017. Retrieved January 21 2021.
- ↑ Fact Sheet: African Burial Ground National Monument. National Park Service February 26 2015. Retrieved January 21 2021.
- ↑ African Burial Ground. The New York Preservation Archive Project. Retrieved January 21 2021.
- ↑ The African Burial Ground. U.S. General Services Administration May 12 2020. Retrieved January 21 2021.
- ↑ New York African-American monument vandalized with racist slur. The Hill November 03, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- ↑ Outcry after anti-black graffiti sprawled across burial ground. abc 7 November 5, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- ↑ Arrest made after anti-black graffiti sprawled on African burial ground. abc7 November 21, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- ↑ Bronx Man Arrested in Vandalism of African Burial Ground Monument in New York City. The Wall Street Journal November 20, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2021.