Portsmouth African Burying Ground facts for kids
The Portsmouth African Burying Ground is a special memorial park in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It's built over an old burial site from the 1700s. This site holds the remains of nearly 200 African people. Some were free, and some were enslaved. This is the only African burying ground from that time in New England that archaeologists have proven to be real.
The site was found by accident in 2003. Construction workers were digging for a manhole when they found human remains. Eight sets of remains were carefully dug up and studied. Scientists confirmed they were from people of African descent. Among these eight, there were four men, one woman, and one child. The others could not be identified.
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History of the Burying Ground
The exact start date of burials at the African Burying Ground is not known. However, maps from as far back as 1705 show this cemetery. People stopped using the gravesite in the late 1700s. Still, it was mentioned in a newspaper in the mid-1800s. City maps continued to show the cemetery until 1902.
Over the years, the city grew and changed. Roads were paved, sewers were built, and new buildings went up. All these changes in the 1800s and 1900s covered up the old burial site. In 2000, a marker was placed near the area. It was part of the Black Heritage Trail, showing where the burying ground was located.
Discovery and Study
In 2003, maintenance workers found human remains again during routine work. This time, they uncovered thirteen individuals. Archaeologists then carefully examined eight of these individuals. They used DNA testing to confirm that these people were of African descent. The locations of five other graves were also found, but they were not dug up.
Creating the Memorial Park
In 2004, the Portsmouth City Council formed a special group. It was called the African Burying Ground Committee. Their main goal was to figure out how to properly honor the burial site. After five years of planning, the committee showed their design idea to the City Council. It was approved.
Jerome Meadows was chosen in 2008 to create the memorial park's design. The memorial park was officially opened on May 23, 2015. This date was also when the eight individuals who were studied were reburied. They were placed back in the ground with respect. The memorial cost over $1.1 million. This money came from local people, businesses, and the city of Portsmouth. On May 23, 2016, the city held a one-year anniversary event for the park and the reburial.
Features of the Memorial Park
The memorial park is a special place for walking. It is located between State and Court streets. The park includes several important features:
- Entry Piece: This has sculptures of an African woman and an African man.
- The Petition Line: Words from a 1779 request for freedom are carved into the ground. This request was made by twenty enslaved people from Portsmouth.
- Information Marker: A sign that tells visitors about the park's history.
- Ceremonial Burial Cover: This is a round lid that seals the underground vault. This is where the reburied remains were placed.
- 8 Community Figures: These are special markers that represent the people buried there.
- Decorative Railing: The fence around the park has designs inspired by Kente cloth. Kente cloth is a traditional fabric from West Africa.
The Entry Piece Statues
The main entrance to the memorial park is on the north side. It features a large piece of granite with two bronze statues. One statue is an African man facing East, towards Africa. He represents the first enslaved people brought to New England. This statue is very large. It shows the great mental strength needed to survive the slave trade and the journey from Africa. He wears simple clothes, like the clothing worn by enslaved people who built colonial settlements.
On the other side of the granite, facing West, is an African woman. The park artist, Jerome Meadows, says she represents Mother Africa. She shows the sadness of losing family, friends, and community members. These separations happened during the slave trade. She wears a traditional West African dress and head covering. These would have been common in her village.
Both statues have an arm reaching out along the granite slab towards the other. Their hands do not touch. They are just inches apart. This design shows the separation that enslaved Africans experienced. This separation lasted for over 200 years.
Images for kids
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The Petition Line. Portsmouth African Burying Ground Memorial Park
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Inscription on a Community Figure. Portsmouth African Burying Ground Memorial Park
