Friends of the African Burial Ground

Friends of the African Burial Ground
Name	Friends of the African Burial Ground
Founded	1990s
Location	New York City, New York, United States
Focus	Historic preservation, cultural heritage, civil rights

Friends of the African Burial Ground is a nonprofit advocacy group formed to protect and interpret a historic African burial ground in Lower Manhattan, New York City. The organization engages in preservation, public history, and community advocacy, working with municipal agencies, academic institutions, and cultural organizations to secure recognition and stewardship of the site. Its work intersects with heritage conservation, archaeological research, and African American memory.

History

The organization's origins trace to grassroots activism following archaeological discoveries linked to the African Burial Ground National Monument project, involving collaborations with researchers from Columbia University, City University of New York, and archaeologists associated with the National Park Service. Early supporters included community leaders from Harlem, activists connected to the NAACP, and scholars from Howard University and Rutgers University. The group's formation paralleled broader preservation movements like those behind the Stonewall National Monument, Ellis Island, and the Tenement Museum. Influential figures and allies ranged across institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New-York Historical Society, and the municipal Landmarks Preservation Commission. Political advocacy included engagement with representatives from New York City Council, New York State Assembly, and offices of the Mayor of New York City. Over time the organization coordinated with federal entities such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and legislators linked to the United States Congress.

Mission and Activities

The mission emphasizes honoring ancestors interred at the site, promoting archaeological ethics, and integrating African diasporic narratives into public memory. Core activities include coordinating with institutions like Smithsonian Institution, Brooklyn Museum, and Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture to curate exhibits, advising on interpretive plans with the National Park Service, and supporting research by scholars at Yale University, Princeton University, and University of Pennsylvania. The organization organizes commemorative ceremonies in partnership with faith communities including Abyssinian Baptist Church, St. Philip's Church, and civic groups such as African American Legacy Project, and liaises with legal advocates from firms linked to preservation law precedents like those cited in cases involving the Supreme Court of the United States.

Advocacy and Preservation Efforts

Advocacy has targeted policy and planning processes involving the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the Landmarks Preservation Commission, and the New York State Historic Preservation Office. Preservation campaigns referenced methodologies endorsed by UNESCO, funding mechanisms tied to the National Historic Preservation Act, and grant opportunities through the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The group has intervened in development reviews involving entities like Battery Park City Authority, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and private developers referenced in decisions before the New York State Supreme Court. Legal and public record efforts drew on precedents from cases related to African Burial Ground National Monument and comparative sites such as Montpelier, Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx), and Green-Wood Cemetery. International partnerships included exchanges with scholars from University of Cape Town, University of Lagos, and cultural institutions like the British Museum.

Community Engagement and Education

Educational programs have been co-developed with schools in the New York City Department of Education, university partners including Fordham University and New York University, and community centers such as the Harlem Community Center and Loisaida Cultural Center. Public events featured collaborations with performers and cultural figures associated with Apollo Theater, historians from Zora Neale Hurston studies, and authors who publish with houses like Penguin Random House and Beacon Press. Programming extended to partnerships with organizations like Black Lives Matter, Equal Justice Initiative, and the Schomburg Center for lectures, walking tours of neighborhoods including Lower Manhattan, Tribeca, and Financial District, and curriculum development influenced by scholarship from Cornell University, Duke University, and Brown University.

Governance and Organization

The group's board and advisory council have included academics from Barnard College, CUNY Graduate Center, and Hunter College, clergy from A.M.E. Zion Church, and preservation professionals from New York Landmarks Conservancy. Funding sources combined private philanthropy from foundations such as the Ford Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and Kresge Foundation with municipal grants via the New York State Council on the Arts and project support from the National Park Service. Administrative relationships involved partnerships with nonprofits like The Trust for Public Land and Historic Hudson Valley. Governance practices reflected standards recommended by Independent Sector and reporting aligned with requirements under the Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)(3) organizations.

Notable Projects and Collaborations

Major projects included advisory input to the design of the African Burial Ground National Monument memorial, collaborative exhibits with the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and joint archaeological stewardship with teams from Stony Brook University and Queens College. The organization participated in documentary film projects produced by entities such as PBS, Ken Burns-associated producers, and independent filmmakers representing Black Public Media. It contributed to publications with presses like Oxford University Press, Routledge, and University of North Carolina Press, and to conferences hosted by American Historical Association, Society for American Archaeology, and Association for the Study of African American Life and History.

Recognition and Impact

Recognition came from awards and honors presented by institutions including the New-York Historical Society, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and citations in resolutions by the New York City Council. Scholarly impact is evident in citations across journals like the Journal of African American History, American Antiquity, and Public Archaeology. The group's advocacy influenced policy outcomes connected to the National Environmental Policy Act review processes for Lower Manhattan projects and shaped public history practices employed by museums and memorials worldwide, resonating with initiatives at Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Robben Island Museum, and District Six Museum.

Category:Cultural heritage organizations in the United States