African American Burial Ground

This monument is a testament to the African Americans who lived here in the late 1600’s to the late 1700’s.  Although it had been in used for about a hundred years, it was only rediscovered in last 20 or so years. The government wanted to build a federal building on the corner of Duane and Elk Street.  However, when construction when underway, they discovered forgotten bodies underneath the ground. These African Americans are thought to have lived outside the city that was then called New Amsterdam. The burial ground is thought to contain both slaves and free African Americans.  The monument is also proof that African Americans lived there at some point in our history.