NEW YORK CITY. – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-08) today joined with other public officials and leaders at the dedication of the African Burial Ground National Monument, located in his district.  The monument, part of the National Park Service, is located at a site in Lower Manhattan where approximately twenty thousand people of African descent, many of them slaves, were buried in the seventeenth and eighteenth century.  The Burial Ground was rediscovered during construction at the site in the late 1980s.

“Today, we give the site and those that are buried there the proper designation and respect they deserve,” said Rep. Nadler.  “New York was a major port city and it operated as a hub for the slave trade. It wasn’t just a place where slaves passed through on their way to the plantation.  African slaves were instrumental in building the City, and directly contributed to New York’s prosperity.  This monument is fitting tribute.”

In 2005, Rep. Nadler, along with Senator Hillary Clinton (NY), Reps. Charlie Rangel (NY-15) and Gregory Meeks (NY-06) introduced legislation to establish the African Burial Ground as a National Historic Site and to create a museum and visitors center in partnership with the community.

In 2006, President Bush responded to the efforts of Rep. Nadler and others and designated the African Burial Ground a National Monument.  However, the President did not include plans for a museum and education center.  Rep. Nadler has reintroduced legislation, the African Burial Ground International Memorial Museum and Education Center Act (HR 1455), to direct the National Park Service to acquire a property and to fund the construction and operation of a Museum.

“This National Memorial is a sacred and spiritual place,” Rep. Nadler added.  “But this Memorial can be more than just a place of mourning where we pay our respects.  It can serve as a reminder that the institution of slavery has not yet been eradicated in all parts of the world, and that the legacy of slavery continues to affect race relations and inequality in our present day society.  Unfortunately, the struggle for freedom is not yet won.”