The African Burial Ground

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The African Burial Ground National Monument, located at the corners of Duane and Elk Streets in lower Manhattan, is operated by the National Park Service. The memorial is open Monday through Sunday 9:00 a.m. until 5 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. For directions to the site and more information, go to the National Park Service website

The African Burial Ground Visitor Center is located in the adjacent Ted Weiss Federal Building at 290 Broadway. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except for federal holidays. For more information call (212) 637-2019.

In May of 1991 the African Burial Ground was unearthed in New York City. The recovery of this important cultural resource during the pre-construction phase for a federal office building deeply impacted descendants and the broader community, which brought about a renewed awareness and dynamic discourse on its cultural significance and historic preservation.

Its rediscovery afforded a rare opportunity for reclaiming a neglected part of American history. The site was unique due to its prominence as a physical reminder of New York's early African community. At the time of rediscovery, it was recognized as the largest and only known urban pre-Revolutionary African cemetery in America.

The African Burial Ground is believed to have encompassed five to six acres of lower Manhattan, including City Hall Park. During the 1700's, when the burial ground was in use, Africans made up from 14.4% to 20.9% of the population. Consistent with the marginal status of Africans in colonial society, the burial ground was described as a desolate piece of unappropriated land and was located outside of the city limits.

According to city maps, by the late 1700's the oldest portions of the cemetery were already being covered over by development. As the city expanded, the existence of the African Burial Ground was eventually forgotten.

For more information, visit the African Burial Ground website.

The shortcut to this page is www.gsa.gov/africanburialground.