The memorial opened in October 2007

In September 2005, ground was broken for a $3 million memorial at the African Burial Ground, located at Duane and Elk Streets just north of City Hall. The memorial commemorates the lives of 20,000 enslaved Africans who were laid to rest in the Civic Center area in the 17th and 18th centuries. The burial ground was rediscovered in 1991 during the course of excavation to build a new federal courthouse. Though most remains were exhumed at that time, more than 400 were ceremoniously reinterred in October 2003.

Designed by architect Rodney Léon, the soaring, circular memorial is home to a wall of remembrance, ancestral pillars, a spiral processional ramp, and a “Circle of the Diaspora,” which features symbols and images of African, Latin American, and Caribbean cultures. The U.S, General Services Administration funded the memorial, which was built and maintained in collaboration with the National Parks Service. NPS declared the site a National Monument in fall 2007.

For more information click here to visit the African Burial Ground website or visit www.nps.gov/afbg.

Daily Activities

Construction of the National Monument memorial concluded in early October 2007 (www.nps.gov/afbg).

Contact Info

For more information about the African Burial Ground Memorial project, contact the U.S. General Services Administration at (212) 264-0424 or visit www.nps.gov/afbg.

Frequently Asked Questions