How was the African Burial Ground Lost?

The burial ground was then lost under years of urban development and landfill, until workers rediscovered the burial ground in 1991 during an excavation of the land for a Federal Government office building. Excavations at the site revealed the remains of 419 Africans and over 500 individual artifacts.

What is the African Burial Ground Project?

GSA’s African Burial Ground project began in 1991, when, during pre-construction work for a new federal office building, workers discovered the skeletal remains of the first of more than 400 men, women and children.

Who excavated the African Burial Ground?

Historic Conservation Inc.
The bulk of the African Burial Ground/290 Broadway site excavation was undertaken by Historic Conservation Inc.

Is the African Burial Ground a national monument?

African Burial Ground National Monument (U.S. National Park Service) A Sacred Space in Manhattan African Burial Ground is the oldest and largest known excavated burial ground in North America for both free and enslaved Africans. It protects the historic role slavery played in building New York Read More

What was the GSA African Burial Ground project?

GSA’s African Burial Ground Project was an extensive mitigation response to the unexpected discovery of the 300-year old burial ground. In 2008 the project was recognized by the White House with a Preserve America Presidential Award. These awards honor exemplary work in the preservation of cultural or national heritage assets.

What is the history of the burial ground?

History & Culture. The Burial Ground’s rediscovery altered the understanding and scholarship surrounding enslavement and its contribution to constructing New York City. The Burial Ground dates from the middle 1630s to 1795. Currently, the Burial Ground is the nation’s earliest and largest African burial ground rediscovered in the United States.

Where was the first African American burial ground?

The Burial Ground site is New York’s earliest known African-American “cemetery”; studies show an estimated 15,000 African American people were buried here. The discovery highlighted the forgotten history of enslaved Africans in colonial and federal New York City, who were integral to its development.