I recently visited The African Burial Ground National Monument to do research for my next book. It’s an incredible exhibit, haunting but beautifully done, located in the Ted Weiss Federal Building at 290 Broadway, New York City.
The first part of the exhibit, after the poignant short film, tells the story of how the burial ground was found, (by chance during a building excavation.) The rest of the exhibit centers around the horrible reality of being an enslaved person in New York.
The exhibit it full of fascinating glimpses into the everyday life of enslaved people in New York, like these cuff links.
Such a powerful fact: It wasn’t until the late 1700s that there were more free Africans than enslaved in New York.
There are a few bright spots in the exhibit, like this story of Peter Williams, Sr.
If you’re going to be in New York City anytime soon visit The African Burial Ground Monument. It’s one of those great, little known places in Manhattan that makes being there so rewarding.
