African Burial Ground National Monument

The African Burial Ground National Monument is the first National Monument dedicated to Africans of early New York and Americans of African descent. It is the newest National Monument in New York City, joining the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and Castle Clinton National Monument.

The African Burial Ground National Monument's story is both old and new; It began use in the 17th or 18th century, but was only rediscovered in the past 20 years. Our story is both the story of the Africans whose holy place this was, but also the story of the modern day New Yorkers who fought to honor these ancestors. One such ancestor is Christopher Moore, a descendant of Groot Manuel--one of the first 11 enslaved Africans in New York City--who has written extensively on our history. A brief history of our site written by author and historian Christopher Moore