The New York African Burial Ground is one of the nations earliest known African-American cemeteries. It has been called the most important archaeological finds of our time. Though recorded on old maps that has been long hidden, it became effectively forgotten and much violated. Becoming more than that it remains an enduring testament to our history and an important part in the history of our nation, which cannot be allowed once again to slip into oblivion.

During construction of a new sidewalk on Chambers Street on the southern edge of the historic African Burial Ground some full or nearly completed human skeletons were found in 1999, that thousands have walked over daily. The human skeletons were sent to Howard University in Washington, D.C. for study and after some years of inspection they were proven to be the remains of the first African Slaves that arrived in New York around the year 1625, to help build the new colony.

The African burial ground re-interment is a project of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Director, Howard Dodson initiated a program to commemorate the contributions of African Americans in ceremonies as they passed through five cities that both documents and celebrates the ancestral remains as they are returned to a permanent resting place in the African Burial Ground Memorial Site of New York City.

The five cities include Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Maryland, Wilmington, Delaware, Newark, New Jersey and New York City, New York. On October 1, 2003 the skeleton remains arrived in the City of Wilmington, Delaware. The Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and the Schomburg Center celebrated the first commemorative ceremony at the Fort Christina State Park, followed with an ecumenical service at Mother African Union Church.

Director, Howard Dodson, a member of Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, New York State, requested to have Prince Hall Masons of Delaware to act as pallbearers in a procession meant to symbolize the tens of thousands of slaves in America, whose bones lie unmarked and without any honor bestowed upon them, beneath sites nationwide.

Representing on behalf of Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, State of Delaware, Brothers of the First Masonic District ushered the hand carved coffins in both ceremonies. Many Dignitaries witnessed the Masonic ritual being performed to the rhythm of African drums with such perfection, impressing all in attendance. Afterwards, Brother Howard Dodson decided to have only the Brothers of the First Masonic District act as pallbearers at the African Burial Ground Memorial Site in New York City to put the final remains to rest. The entire ceremony was covered by the television news media and is available on DVD.

Grand Historian,
Michael Robbins