African Burial Ground National Monument - Frequently Asked Questions (U.S. National Park Service)

When will the African Burial Ground National Monument memorial be completed? The General Services Administration and the National Park Service are actively working on the memorial, and completion is anticipated in the early fall. see Memorial Dedication Ceremonies.

When did the African Burial Ground become a National Monument? The President of the United States proclaimed the African Burial Ground's National Monument status on February 27, 2006 at a major ceremony at the site.

When was the African Burial Ground in use? The cemetery was used for free and enslaved Africans primarily during the eighteenth century. Because those of African descent could not be buried within New Amsterdam’s city walls, an area of steep hills known as the Kalch-hook became the burial ground for the black community’s deceased.