In commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the African Burial Ground’s rediscovery, the African Burial Ground National Monument is hosting in-person activities at the outdoor memorial and virtual presentations on its website and social media.
Starting earlier this week, the six-day commemoration included libation ceremonies, ranger presentations, dancing, singing, drumming and memorial talks. The theme for the event is “Honoring History, Ancestors, Spirituality, Art.”
The commemoration ends Saturday, Oct. 9 with a daylong presentation including a libation ceremony with Baba Cyril Innis Jr., a tribute to the late Dr. Maya Angelou, and a performance by the Uptown Dance Academy.
Single carnations were available throughout the week to lay on mounds as offerings and index cards were provided to write messages for the 30th anniversary Memory Box.
In Oct. 1991, the General Services Administration rediscovered intact burials in Lower Manhattan while excavating for the construction of a new federal office building. Teams removed the remains of 419 people from the site. Studies suggest an estimated 15,000 African American people are buried there.