African Burial Ground National Monument - General Management Planning (U.S. National Park Service)

African Burial Ground NM's outdoor memorial in the autumn

National Park Service

Dear Friend of the African Burial Ground National Monument,

My sincerest thanks to all of you who attended our open houses in June, provided comments online or in writing, and for your continued input as we plan the future of the African Burial Ground National Monument. We are grateful for the time you are devoting to the development of a vision for this sacred site.

We are at a stage in the planning process where new visions for the African Burial Ground are coming into focus. In our fall newsletter, we present two of those visions, called “preliminary alternatives,” for managing the site’s resources and the visitor experience. These preliminary alternatives help us explore different ways the park could be managed. Once fully developed, one of these alternatives could be selected as the National Park Service’s “preferred” alternative or a new one could emerge that combines the two or other ideas.

Before we take the next step, we need to hear from you. This fall, we invite you to join us at open houses in Harlem, Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan where you will be able to explore, discuss, and comment on the preliminary alternatives. If you cannot attend an open house, see Getting Involved in the newsletter for other ways to make your voice heard. Either way, your ideas will go a long way in helping us choose a direction that best achieves our shared goals.

I also want to take this opportunity to remind you that we are fast approaching the opening of our new Visitor Center early next year. Please check www.nps.gov/afbg for the announcement as we hope you will be among the first visitors we welcome through the doors.

Thanks again for your recent, and anticipated, participation.

Tara D. Morrison, Superintendent

Upcoming Open Houses

Please join us at one of our upcoming open houses in Brooklyn, Harlem and Lower Manhattan.

NOVEMBER 30: 2-7 p.m.

Brooklyn College Student Center, 2nd Floor
Campus Road at East 27th Street
Brooklyn, NY

By Subway: #2 or #5 Train to Flatbush Avenue. Exit to Flatbush and Nostrand. Walk one block on Hillel Street towards the clock tower and you'll see the Campus Road Entrance (Gate). Guard will direct you to Student Center.

By Bus:

B6 or B11 on Avenue J to Bedford Avenue and Campus Road B8 on 18th Avenue to Flatbush Avenue at Foster Avenue
B41 on Flatbush Avenue to Nostrand Avenue
B44 on Nostrand Avenue to Flatbush Avenue
B49 on Ocean Avenue to Avenue H
Q35 (Green Line Bus) to Flatbush Avenue at Nostrand Avenue

LIRR: Take LIRR to Atlantic Avenue and transfer to either the 2 or 5 trains or you can go upstairs and take the B41 bus to Nostrand Avenue. at Hoyt and State Street. Walk Up Hoyt Street two blocks to Atlantic Avenue. Turn left on Atlantic Avenue.

DECEMBER 1: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Ted Weiss Federal Building
290 Broadway, 7th Floor,
Lower Manhattan
All visitors must show identification and go through to a standard security procedures.

By Subway:

A, C, E Trains to Chambers Street. Exit on Church Street and walk to Chambers Street and turn right. Walk to Broadway (about two blocks) and turn left. Walk up Broadway to Duane Street and 290 will be on your right on the corner of Duane and Broadway.
#2,#3 Trains to Park Place. Exit on to Broadway. Walk up Broadway about four blocks to Duane Street and to 290 will be on your right on corner of Duane and Broadway.

By Bus: M1 or M6 to Broadway and Chambers Street. Walk back one block to 290 Broadway on the right.

DECEMBER 2: 2 - 7 p.m.

Schomburg Center For Research in Black Culture
515 Malcolm X Blvd (Lenox Ave)
New York, New York

By Subway:

2,3 Train to 135th Street. Exit and Schomburg Center will be large brick building on corner with trees in front.
B, C Trains to 135th Street. Exit onto W. 135th Street and walk on W 135th Street 3 blocks to Malcolm X Blvd (Lenox Ave). Schomburg Center will be on the left at corner.

By Bus:

M7 or M102 Bus to Malcolm X Blvd (Lenox Ave) and get off at W 135th Street.
BX33 bus to W. 135th and Malcolm X Blvd (Lenox Ave).

DECEMBER 3: 2 - 7 p.m.

House of the Lord Church
415 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, New York

By Subway: A, C, G TrainsTo Hoyt Schemmerhorn. Exit and walk toward Atlantic Avenue, Turn left on Atlantic Avenue and walk two blocks to church, located between Bond and Nevins Street.

By Bus: Take B63 bus up Atlantic Avenue and get off at Bond Street. The church is on Atlantic Avenue between Bond and Nevins Street.

Transcripts from Spring 2009 Open Houses

At our Spring Open Houses we asked the public for their input. Depending on their preference people could submit written comments, have a stenographer type their verbal comments or be videotaped. The written compellation of those comments can be accessed with the following links:

Written Comment Forms

Stenography: Comments recorded by a stenographer are seperate by the neighborhoods in which the open houses occurred.

Video Transcripts