Crews look for burial ground at former bus depot in NYC
EAST HARLEM, N.Y. (PIX11) — The area around East 126th Street at 2nd Avenue in East Harlem has been known as an African burial ground for enslaved and free people.
A group has been working for more than a decade to make sure the story is told and the ancestors are honored.
On a hot Friday in June, drum beats echoed through the vacant building. It hasn’t been a bus depot since 2015.
The garage will be a busy place again. The story goes back hundreds of years.
The Harlem African Burial Ground Initiative held a ceremony on Friday on the grounds of the former MTA property. It now belongs to the city.
The land is believed to be one of the original burial grounds of enslaved and free Africans in the Harlem area dating back to the 1600s.
Reverend Doctor Patricia Singletary is the first female minister in the history of the Elmendorf Reformed Church, which is known as the oldest congregation in Harlem.
“We must do this for the village. Construction, New York high rises pushed over it. We are uncovering what was done,” she said.
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Their task force has been working for more than a decade. Years ago, archeologists were brought in and remains were discovered. Some of the areas have already been examined. The plan is to remove the concrete floor, section by section.
It’s an emotional experience for people to stand in this space. Archeology crews will return this summer.
They would like to see a memorial and cultural center when the specific boundaries of the sacred ground are mapped out.
That will determine how the project moves ahead. It could include housing, officials say.
Former Congressman Charles Rangel spoke at the event. He helped lead the effort to investigate and preserve the land.
“We want you to know that you come from strong people that have given to the entire world,” he said.
The archeologists are set to be on site through 2025.
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