African Burial Ground National Monument

2006

The nation’s earliest and largest African burial ground is in New York City. The 18th-century site was rediscovered in 1991 when an archeological dig, prompted by a planned commercial construction, revealed human remains. Nearly 15,000 intact skeletal remains were found in the 6-acre area. Between 1991 and 2003, a sampling of the skeletons was removed to Howard University for scientific analysis by a team of anthropologists led by Dr. Michael L. Blakey, a former student of Dr. Cobb. The study at Howard University ensured that Black scientists and students would examine and interpret the remains of their ancestors.