Girls Prep Bronx Elementary 5th graders visited the African Burial Ground National Monument on October 6th and 7th for special programming commemorating the 25th anniversary of the rediscovery of New York City's African burial ground.
From about the 1690s until 1794, both free and enslaved Africans were buried in a 6.6-acre burial ground in Lower Manhattan, outside the boundaries of the settlement of New Amsterdam, later known as New York. Lost to history due to landfill and development, the grounds were rediscovered in 1991 as a consequence of the planned construction of a Federal office building.
Girls Prep scholars learned about the history of the site from the park rangers, explored the visitor center, participated in a wreath ceremony, and celebrated with traditional African musicians and face paintings of African symbols.
