We set off for the African Burial Ground at around 12:30. The commute was fairly easy. We took the Q train straight to Canal Street where we got off and walked for a dew minutes. Overall i
t was easy finding the building. But one interesting thing that I noticed about the area was the sudden shift in atmosphere. Getting off of the train, the area seemed a little run down, there was graffiti covering some of the walls. But as we continued walking and neared towards the burial ground, this changed. There seemed to be more upscale buildings and the whole area just seemed and looked cleaner.
The weather was not too cold and not too warm. It was a little windy, but it was all manageable.
The area that the burial ground is located in is interesting.
As we walked in we went through security. There is a section right near the front where in a little alcove there are statues of about five Africans surrounding a table. A few feet away there is a curved piece reflecting an image of two women.
To the shade there are a few things out in display such as news paper articles and a handmade coffin. Above them there is a timeline and above On the wall there are pictures of boys saying things like “to our beautiful African brothers and sisters we honor you.” At the end there is also a screen depicting a video of people Walking in the middle of the street, pounding on drums and leaving horses. Over all in this area the light a cross between being dim and bright. Standing here you can hear the commotion of the people entering the museum.
Reading the timeline I found out that as the construction of a new building was underway, records showed that the area was the site of an African burial ground. They were persevered by layers of soil. The area was memorialized by the creation of this museum.
Off to the side there is a mural of sorts depicting pictures New York children and adult created in response to African burial ground. Right next to that, showcased behind plexi glass are notes that children write about what the African burial ground means to them. They are expressions of people’s reaction to the African burial ground.
As I venture around I see that there is a banner hung up reading “We wanted to know things that had been hidden from view, buried, about who we are.” I feel like this line exemplifies a lot about what this place really means. The issue of slavery is a concept that we as Americans find hard to address because we are uncomfortable with it. But I feel like that line shows that it is something that can’t and shouldn’t be ignored . Another one says, “they are us. They are me; they are you.” Slavery is a part of American history as well. It has shaped so much of what makes us the country that we are today. And standing here in this museum today, I realize the importance of acknowledgment. Prior to today I have learned about the history of slavery but have never really reflected on it.
There is a collection of images that show and identify the reasons of the people buried. Almost 15000 people are buried and to see the images lined up brings chills. These were actual people who lived and died here. And the fact that there are so many is jaw opening. It is astonishing to even imagine that their bones were extracted from a plot in the middle of Manhattan!
The movie is what brought this whole experience together for me. I’ve looked at bits and pieces in the museum. But their story really echoes after the film. It paints a picture of how life was really like for these slaves and showcases the lives that they built for themselves out of the very little that they had. It also talks about how slave found a way to bury their dad with respect. From watching those scenes what I realized was who much we focus on the concept of slavery in general. But less often do we look into the lives that these slaves led. The lives that were defined by work.
The actual burial ground was beautiful. The fact that it was in the shape of a triangle and you could see the reflection of the other buildings was mesmerizing. I think that it really brings some justice to all the injustice that was committee all those years. Although obviously not enough. There really could never be enough compensation for what happened all those years ago.
