The 1991 discovery of 419 African graves that revealed Manhattan’s massive colonial-era slave cemetery

The African Burial Ground in Lower Manhattan, New York

From the late 1600s to 1794, a 6.6-acre plot in Lower Manhattan served as the final resting place for over 15,000 African people. Both free and enslaved Africans were buried in this ground outside the boundaries of New Amsterdam, the Dutch settlement that became New York.

Their stories stayed hidden beneath layers of city growth until 1991. This burial ground is now recognized as the largest and oldest known cemetery for African Americans from the colonial era.

When New York Banned Africans from City Burial Grounds

In 1697, New York officials banned Africans from using the city’s main burial ground. This forced the growing African community to create their own cemetery.

They established a burial space in an area called the “Commons,” about a mile from the southern tip of Manhattan. This land was near property owned by Africans who received limited freedom from Dutch colonists in the 1640s.

These men and women built their own community outside town limits where they could maintain some cultural practices.

How Africans Maintained Cultural Traditions in Burial Practices

Despite harsh restrictions, Africans preserved their cultural identity through burial customs. They placed bodies in an east-west direction with heads pointing west and feet facing east, following African spiritual beliefs.

Researchers found skeletons with teeth filed into hourglass shapes, a West African tradition. Some bodies wore Nigerian waist beads, while wooden coffins featured Ghanaian symbols facing eastward toward Africa.

These practices show how New York’s early African population kept connections to their diverse West and Central African roots.

The Development That Buried the Cemetery

As New York grew, the burial ground disappeared from public memory. New buildings and streets covered the cemetery as the city expanded northward in the 1800s.

Construction projects built directly over the graves without concern for what lay beneath. The site vanished from maps and public knowledge for almost two centuries.

By 1991, the burial ground lay about 30 feet below street level, preserved under layers of dirt and development from New York’s constant rebuilding.

The 1991 Discovery During Federal Construction

Workers found human remains on October 8, 1991, while digging for a new federal office building at 290 Broadway. The General Services Administration (GSA) had started an archaeological survey in May before major construction began.

Archaeologists quickly realized they had found an intact colonial-era African cemetery. Excavations revealed skeletons and burial items from the 17th and 18th centuries.

This find uncovered the oldest and largest burial ground for people of African descent in North America.

The Community’s Fight to Halt Construction

African Americans grew concerned as workers kept digging up and removing remains. They worried their ancestors weren’t being treated with respect.

In 1992, protesters gathered at the site after learning a backhoe had accidentally destroyed 20 burials. They demanded proper respect for this sacred ground.

Mayor David Dinkins formed a committee to address the situation. Congressman Augustus Savage stepped in by threatening to cut funding unless officials properly handled the burial ground. This forced the government to work with community representatives.

President Bush’s Decision to Stop the Excavation

In 1992, President George H. Bush signed a law stopping the digging at the African Burial Ground. This action came after growing public pressure and involvement from Congress.

The planned 34-story federal building was reduced to 30 floors. The adjacent pavilion was canceled entirely.

Congress set aside $3 million to create a memorial at the site. This funding began the process of recognizing the historical importance of the discovery and giving the site the proper respect it deserved.

Howard University’s Study of the Remains

Dr. Michael L. Blakey led a team of scientists at Howard University who studied the 419 skeletons removed from the site. These remains were moved from Lehman College in New York to Howard in Washington, D.C.

Their research showed that half of those buried were children, revealing high death rates among young Africans. They found evidence of poor nutrition, disease, and injuries from harsh living conditions.

Bone analysis showed severe physical stress from hard labor. Some skeletons had marks suggesting people were worked to death under brutal slavery conditions in early New York.

The Landmark Designations That Protected the Site

The African Burial Ground was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 19, 1993. At the same time, it became a National Historic Landmark, giving it important federal protection.

New York City added more protection by making the burial ground part of a historic district that included nearby City Hall Park and Foley Square.

In 2006, President George W. Bush declared it a National Monument. This status put the site under the permanent care of the National Park Service.

The 2003 Reburial Ceremony

On October 4, 2003, the 419 remains were returned to their original resting place. Howard University researchers placed them in hand-carved mahogany coffins for a proper burial.

The six-day ceremony began at Howard University and traveled through Philadelphia, Newark, Wilmington, and Baltimore. In each city, people gathered to honor the ancestors.

The journey ended when the remains arrived by boat at a Manhattan port, similar to how many enslaved Africans first came to New York centuries earlier. Thousands attended as religious leaders blessed the remains before their return to the earth.

The Memorial’s Design and Construction

In 2005, architect Rodney Leon was chosen to design the permanent memorial. Leon, an American with Haitian roots, won the commission after a competition with many other designers.

The memorial opened on October 1, 2007. The granite structure features seven design elements that honor the site’s history.

The main feature is a triangular “Ancestral Chamber” that represents the Middle Passage across the Atlantic Ocean. Other elements include special walls, pillars, and spaces that mark where the 419 remains were reburied.

Visiting African Burial Ground National Monument, New York

The African Burial Ground National Monument is at the corner of Duane Street and African Burial Ground Way (Elk Street) in Lower Manhattan. The monument is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM, with the visitor center inside 290 Broadway open Tuesday through Saturday.

Entry is free, and rangers offer guided tours at 1 PM and 3 PM showing African contributions to early New York. Photography is allowed without flash or tripods inside the visitor center.

Nearby attractions include City Hall, the Woolworth Building, and the 9/11 Memorial, all within walking distance.

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