Appendix B

African Burial Ground Project Components
Next Steps After Reinterment

Background Information
 
The documents that have guided the General Services Administration (GSA) to commemorate the African Burial Ground and the history of the African presence in Colonial New York are as follows:
 
Memorialization of the African Burial Ground, Federal Steering Committee recommendations to the Administrator, General Services Administration and the United States Congress dated August 6, 1993.*
  
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) executed March 15, 1989 between GSA and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) regarding the Foley Square U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building Projects.
 
Amendment to the Memorandum of Agreement executed on December 20, 1991 that was executed by GSA and ACHP, with the concurrence of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (NYCLPC).
 
*Note that GSA considered all the recommendations set forth in the Federal Steering Committee report and most of the recommendations have been implemented.
 
 
Issues Raised by Members of the Descendant Community at the October 30, 2003 Meeting Relating to the Recommendations of the Federal Steering Committee
 
Establish a World-class Memorial Museum and Research Center of African American History and Culture
The Federal Steering Committee recommended that a memorial museum and research center of African American Culture be established within the National Historic Landmark African Burial Ground.
 
GSA is unable to undertake this project because to do so requires the direct authorization and funding from the United States Congress, which GSA has not received. Members of the community are free to pursue the concept of a memorial museum by petitioning their elected representatives in government at the federal, state, and city levels and by working with the private sector. If a museum were to be developed by such a partnership, GSA and the National Park Service would seek to develop cooperative programs with the museum and our activities at the African Burial Ground site.
 
 
Development of an Interpretive Center
The Amended MOA states that GSA in consultation with the City and NYCLPC shall develop an exhibit on the testing, excavation, and analysis to be located with the public space within the new Federal Building (290 Broadway).
 
GSA and the National Park Service are proceeding with plans to develop an Interpretive Center to help interpret the African Burial Ground that would be within the scope and
authority of GSA. The public will be encouraged to participate in the listening sessions and public meetings to reveal the rich meaning of the African Burial Ground and its importance as one of the most significant historical sites in America. That will shape the interpretation at the Interpretive Center.
 
 
Commission a Memorial Monument
The Federal Steering Committee recommended that a memorial monument be commissioned to commemorate the heritage of all Africans in America, particularly the estimated 10,000 to 20,000 people who were interred in the African Burial Ground.
 
The Amended MOA states that GSA, in consultation with the City and the NYCLPC shall determine an appropriate on-site memorial to commemorate the African Burial Ground. A memorial monument will draw visitors, tell the story of the African Burial Ground and forever commemorate the site.
 
Several participants at the October 30, 2003 meeting requested that no monument be built on the African Burial Ground. This contradicts the recommendation of the Federal Steering Committee and the direction provided to GSA by the Amended MOA.
 
GSA and the National Park Service will invite members of the community to participate in the public meetings to consider the designs submitted by the five finalists and other issues pertaining to how the site will be memorialized and interpreted by visitors. With good public participation, this process is flexible enough to allow an appropriate design.
 
 
Develop a Signage Program
To interpret the history and culture of the African people interred at the African Burial Ground, GSA installed signage on the sidewalk in the vicinity of Duane and Elk Streets, integrated a bronze medallion into the pavement near the corner of Duane and Lafayette Streets, and erected signage on the African Burial Ground. During the planning of the Interpretive Center and Exterior Site and Memorial, GSA will work with the National Park Service and the community to consider if signs can help the public understand the size and significance of the African Burial Ground-
 
 
Install Memorial Art Work and a Memorial Exhibit in the Lobby of the Foley Square Federal Office Building
To document and interpret the 1992-93 excavation of the African Burial Ground, GSA installed a series of outstanding works of art to commemorate the African Burial Ground in the Lobby of 290 Broadway. Such art works include, America Song by Clyde Lynds, the New Ring of Shout by Houstin Conwill, African Rising by Barbara Chase-Riboud, Renewal by Tomie Arai, Untitled by Roger Brown, and Unearthed by Frank Bender.
 
With regard to the memorial exhibit, GSA and the National Park Service will work with the community regarding plans for an education and interpretive facility.
 
 
Reinterment of Human Remains with an International Memorial Service
GSA is pleased to announce that the Rites of Ancestral Return, reinterment ceremony held across six cities that culminated with the reinterment of human remains on October 4, 2003 in New York City was dignified, respectful and international in scope.
 
GSA complied with the Steering Committee recommendation that the human remains excavated from the African Burial Ground be reinterred in the former pavilion site of the Foley Square Federal Office Building with a sacred international memorial service in New York City.
 
 
Other Issues Discussed
 
 
Status of the Howard University Scientific Research
Final History and Bio-skeletal Reports will be available to the public during the Summer 2004. The final Archaeology Report will be available during late Fall 2004.
 
GSA has agreed to the production of an Integrated Report that will synthesize the scientific research from the History, Bio-skeletal, and Archaeology Reports into one report and a Popular Report of 25-30 pages for the lay public and educational institutions.
 
The production of these two reports will be negotiated with Howard University during late Winter 2004.
 
 
Curation of Osteological and Dental Samples (DNA)
By the end of July 2004, GSA and the Army Corps of Engineers will retrieve all samples currently with the scientific researchers and deposit them at Howard University for temporary housing until a long-term curation facility in New York City is identified.
 
The DNA samples are a non-renewable resource that requires significant attention so that the samples can be safeguarded and made available to researchers for future study.
 
 
Curation of the Archival Records and Archeological Artifacts (ceramics found in the soil)
A wide variety of documentation photography, research documents and artwork is being compiled for the project. GSA has the responsibility to care for these documentary materials and make them available to researchers for future study. The Army Corps of Engineers will develop a plan for long-term curation of these materials to include the designation of a suitable curation facility and the development of procedures to permit future research and use.
 
 
Accessibility to the African Burial Ground Memorial Site
The African Burial Ground Memorial Site will be open to the public Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
 
 
Production of Quarterly Reports
GSA has made a renewed effort to assure that quarterly reports are produced. For the past two years, quarterly reports have been produced and distributed without interruption. GSA will continue to prepare quarterly reports for the duration of the project. Reports will continue to be posted at the www.africanburialground.gov web site.
 
 
419 Coffins Containing Human Remains Were Reinterred on October 4, 2003
The Army Corps of Engineers performed a reconciliation of all the human remains and artifacts that were under research at Howard University to insure that everything that was excavated in 1991 was reinterred on October 4, 2003. Only 4 coffins containing human remains participated in the reinterment ceremonies across six cities and those coffins were joined with the remaining 415 coffins containing human remains at the African Burial Ground Memorial Site on October 3, 2003 for reinterment the following day. The coffins were all made and hand carved in Ghana. All 419 coffins containing human remains and related artifacts were reburied on October 4, 2003 and GSA has extensive documentation verifying such.
 
 
Request That the Remains be Returned to Africa
A member of the community requested that the remains that were reinterred on October 4, 2003 at the African Burial Ground Memorial Site be returned to Africa. This is in contradiction to the Federal Steering Committee recommendation that requests that the human remains be reinterred at the former Pavilion site of the Foley Square Federal Office Building (290 Broadway). Furthermore, the reinterment of the remains at the African Burial Ground was supported by the regulatory agencies and public at large through the listening sessions and focus group meetings that were conducted by the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture throughout New York City.
 
 

Appendix C

Letter sent to Public Participants after October 30, 2003 Meeting

 
Addressees are the public participants at the ABG Meeting of 10-30-03 and copy all our project partners….
 
 
Dear_______________________,
 
Thank you for participating in the African Burial Ground meeting of October 30, 2003. This important discussion included the status of the scientific research by Howard University, curation and study of the DNA, curation of the archival records, and the plans for the development of the Exterior Memorial and Interpretive Center.
 
General Services Administration (GSA) representatives, and our project partners- the Army Corps of Engineers, the National Park Service, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation- appreciated hearing your concerns regarding how the remaining components of the African Burial Ground project should be completed. After having listened to all the issues you raised, we are prepared to address your concerns. For a detailed discussion of the issues raised and our responses, kindly refer to the attachment to this letter titled African Burial Ground Project Components. Also provided are copies of letters that GSA wrote to the U. S. Congressional Subcommittees on July 25, 1994 and October 15, 1994 informing of GSA’s plans for the memorialization and future operation of the African Burial Ground at Foley Square, New York City.
  
GSA was pleased to report that the Rites of Ancestral Return reinterment ceremonies held across six cites that culminated with the reinterment of the human remains and artifacts on October 4, 2003 in New York City were so successful. You deserve to be proud of your contribution to this success. The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, under contract to GSA and benefiting from significant input and ideas from the community, designed an inclusive program that was dignified, respectful, and international in scope. We are gratified that the broad public participation in the ceremonies together with the television, radio, and press coverage allowed GSA to implement the recommendations of the Federal Steering Committee to reinter the human remains at the 290 Broadway former Pavilion site with a sacred and truly diverse memorial service.
 
Now that the reinterment has been successfully completed, GSA and the National Park Service wish to move forward with telling the story of African people in Colonial New York. This is one of the most significant sites in American History. It demonstrates the painful but important story of a People confronted by inhuman hardships and disrespect who nonetheless made enormous contributions to our country. The challenge now is to articulate the vision and the meaning this site can have for us and for future generations. As GSA and the National Park Service move forward with plans to commemorate the African Burial Ground Memorial Site with an Exterior Memorial and Interpretative Center, you are encouraged to participate in the listening sessions and public meetings to productively and profoundly help identify all the different ways the site has meaning to America and the World. This will be the basis of the interpretation of the African Burial Ground at the site
 
Thank you again for your contributions to this important discussion on October 30, 2003, and to all the progress that now has been made for the African Burial Ground. If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Mark Dremel at (212) 264-2163.
 
Sincerely,
 
 
Karl H. Reichelt
Regional Administrator
 
 
Attachments
 
CC: all attendees for GSA, ACE, NYS, NYC LPC, ACHP
   
 

Appendix D

Revised Schedule for Report Preparation (December 2003)