In the 1990s, during the construction of a new building, construction workers discovered a burial ground. After archaeologists excavated the site, they found more than 15,000 skeletal remains and learned that this was the site of an African burial ground that was used from the 1630s to 1795. The site was eventually declared a national monument.

Today, a memorial stands above the burial ground commemorating the many different people who were buried there. The monument is rather moving, especially as it contrasts with the many large buildings surrounding it. Just around the corner stands the park’s visitor center, which provides a film detailing the lives of African-Americans during the 17th and 18th centuries, how African-Americans used the burial ground, and the events that led to the burial ground’s re-discovery and designation as a national monument. The small museum expands on the video, providing exhibits detailing the lives of African-Americans in New York, how African-American slaves helped build the city, and the process by which archaeologists analyzed the burial ground.

Visiting African Burial Ground National Monument was a moving experience that shed some much needed light on how African-Americans were a large reason why New York was able to become the city that it is today. This site deserves much more attention than it gets, so we highly recommend a visit.