Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 16 September 2004 — Page 18

Page 18 • The Muncie Times • September 16, 2004

Final designs under way for NY’s African Burial Ground

(L-R) Howard Dodson, chief, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture; Stephen A. Perry, administrator of General Services Administration; and Tara Morrison, National park Service project manager for African Burial Ground Technical Assistance Project, discuss the local, a national and international significance of New York City’s African Burial Ground with members of the African American, Hispanic, Asian American and native American press during a recent UNITY Journalists of Color conference in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. - The American public has an important opportunity to give comment on five revised designs proposed as a permanent memorial on the African Burial Ground site in lower Manhattan. The national park service (NPS) and the General Services Administration (GSA) have requested national feedback on the five revised memorial designs to be unveiled on the Web site www.africanburialground.co m. During the dates, there will be a New York City exhibition showcasing the five revised memorial designs. Plans call for the winning memorial design to be announced in fall 2004. “Thanks to the efforts of many federal agencies, academic institutions and individuals, we have added critical new information to the history of America. The legacy of the

African Burial Ground is of lasting and significant benefit for this generation and for all generations to come,” said Stephen A. Perry, administrator of General Services Administration. From June 12 to 17, five finalist design teams described their ideas for the memorial at public forums in New York City’s five boroughs. The revised designs are based on public feedback on these presentations. At each forum, the public shared thoughts and feelings about the African Burial Ground and its appropriate memorialization. The designers are revising and refining their respective designs utilizing public feedback from discussion sessions and written responses on pre-printed evaluation forms. The National Park Service has been asked by GSA to work with the

public and to help with the selection process of the memorial design and to develop recommendations for the interpretation and long-term stewardship of the African Burial Ground. This fall, NPS will release a draft report of its findings; which will be available to the public for comment. As a National Historic landmark, the African Burial Ground is eligible for NPS assistance. “The African Burial Ground is one of Americafs most important historic sites. The National park Service is taking this opportunity to help tell the story of the African Burial Ground and to build the public constituency to support the future management of the site. We are delighted to help the public take part in this memorialization process,” said Tara Morrison, National park Service project manager. “We hope

many people turn out, reflect and share thoughts on the meaning of the site and the appropriate way to memorialize the African Burial Ground, and give us your best feelings and thoughts for the benefit of future generations of Americans.” The site is a sacred place. It is expected that any design for a memorial on the African Burial Ground Site would reflect and honor that. The memorial may also be a reminder of the important experience and major contributions that free and enslaved African men, women, and children made to the economy, development, and culture of New York City and America. In 1991, during the construction of federal office building at 290 Broadway, in lower Manhattan, excavators unearthed a portion of the

largest colonial era cemetery for enslaved and free Africans in America. The remains of more than 40 Africans were discovered. Through this discovery, it is now estimated that 20,000 African men, women, and the children were buried in the African Burial Ground between the late 1600s and 1975, revealing the fact that New York City in 1700 was 20 percent African. The discovery caused a sensation and renewed awareness of the cultural significance and historic preservation of African American history in New York. A binding agreement between GSA and the Advisory Council of Historic Preservation and the New York City Landmarks Commission requires GSA to develop a memorial and seek public input. A design competition was developed to create a permanent memorial on the site of the African Burial Ground. More than 60 designs teams responded to a call for proposals in 1998, before the process stalled. GSA leadership revitalized the process, and in 2003 completed the Rites of Ancestral Return. Five prospective designers had been selected to further develop their designs in preparation for a final round of judging. Experience your America, the National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage. National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior,200 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106, phone (212) 825-6887,fax (215)597-2337,