The Enslaved African Burial Ground in Van Cortlandt Park was officially acknowledged and named by NYC Parks on Juneteenth in 2021, due to the efforts of Van Cortlandt Park Alliance and the Enslaved People Project. Located along the eastern edge of the Kingsbridge Burial Ground, this area has been identified as a likely burial site of enslaved Africans who lived, worked, and died on the Van Cortlandt family plantation. They were responsible for its functions and economic gains for over a hundred years. According to records, there were several Indigenous people who were enslaved as well.
While NYC Parks recognized the Enslaved African Burial Ground with signage and fencing, the space remains largely unmarked. With generous funding from the Mellon Foundation, Van Cortlandt Park Alliance partnered with Design Trust for Public Space and Liminal Sp for an 18-month process, working with the local community to better understand what type of memorial should be created to pay tribute to the enslaved African people who built much of Van Cortlandt Park’s southwestern quadrant.
The Enslaved African Burial Ground will be a destination in Van Cortlandt Park that honors the memories of those who shaped the land, as well as provide a place for deep reflection, meaningful education, collective healing, and vibrant cultural opportunities for all. This project’s process invites a citywide conversation on memory and interconnection for African Burial Ground sites across New York.
Design Ideas Lab
In addition to community engagement through surveys and a series of meaningful activation events, a design competition was held to reimagine the space.
Three teams, Sunsum Collective (led by GROUND3D), JIMA studio and Leon Pinkster Azalea Collaborative, were selected from a pool of 61 submissions, with finalists interviewed by a Legacy Council made up of local Bronx organizations, community members, descendants, and artists.
A collaboration between Wil Jones, founding principal of NYC-based urban practice GROUND3D, architect Deena Darby, cultural preservationist and placemaker Talisha Ward, landscape architectural designer and herbalist Simone Delaney, and urban planner Nolen Scruggs. The interdisciplinary team has expertise in community engagement, historic preservation, landscape design, and public programming. Team members have contributed to community-engaged planning and design efforts related to the Flatbush African Burial Ground, advancing heritage corridor strategies, participatory design processes, ecological design interventions, and collaborative approaches to cultural preservation and public memory.
A landscape architectural design and urban planning studio that collaborates with community groups, organizations, and builders committed to culturally relevant placemaking and strategic implementation. JIMA Studio contributed to a conceptual design investigation interpreting the history of the Forrest Slave Mart, a holding facility for enslaved Africans and African Americans owned and operated by Nathan Bedford Forrest in the midst of Downtown Memphis.
Click here to see Ujijji Davis Williams/ JIMA studio’s Design Ideas
A collaboration between Rodney Leon, Elgin Cleckley (_mpathic design), and Creative Urban Alchemy established for the Reimagining of Van Cortlandt Park’s Enslaved African Burial Ground. The Collaborative’s founder Rodney Leon, is the designer of the African Burial Ground Memorial in New York City, which is the first National Monument in the United States dedicated to the contributions of people of African descent.. Rodney Leon is joined by Ifeoma Ebo, a Nigerian-American, Brooklyn-based public artist, educator at the Spitzer School of Architecture at City College and Principal of Creative Urban Alchemy (CUA), an award-winning design studio working at the intersection of art, architecture, urban design and planning. She is joined by Ximena Diaz Velasco, a Community Designer at CUA trained in landscape architecture and international development. Elgin Cleckley is an award-winning Architect, Civic designer, and Associate Professor at the University of Virginia, where he leads the internationally recognized _mpathic design initiative, pedagogy, and design practice.
Click here to see Rodney Leon/Leon Pinkster Azalea Collective’s Design Ideas
The Enslaved People Project is a joint effort of the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance, Van Cortlandt House Museum operated by The National Society of Colonial Dames in the State of New York, and the Kingsbridge Historical Society.
The park, which is named for the prominent Van Cortlandt family, was, for more than 100 years, a provisioning plantation—growing wheat, milling it, and sending it down to the West Indies and the American south as part of the global ecosystem that was slavery. Enslaved Africans and Indigenous people worked and died on the Van Cortlandt plantation and were buried there with no recognition, despite their essential role in creating the Van Cortlandt family’s vast wealth.
In 2019, a ground penetrating radar study was conducted and revealed what appear to be unmarked coffins. That information, taken with wills and land deeds, led us to designate the area as the Enslaved African Burial Ground.
On Juneteenth 2021, the Enslaved African Burial Ground was officially named by NYC Parks. Even so, the burial ground is mostly unmarked, difficult to find, and while Lehman College students weed and plant the site regularly, its physical manifestation does not match its significance as a sacred space.
Van Cortlandt Park Alliance and members of the Enslaved People Project have worked diligently to shed light on the true history of the park and reimagine the burial ground as a memorial that matches the sacredness of the space.
The Enslaved People Project is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council and made possible with additional funding from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Currently, there are several efforts taking place, focused on educating the community about the Enslaved People of the Van Cortlandt Plantation:
Educational Curricula
The Enslaved People Project Curriculum was funded by Bronx Community Board 8 and the New York City Council. The Enslaved People Project created two curricula to be used by teachers:
4th Grade Curriculum
6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Curriculum
Educational Programs
Arts Integration Residency
In the spring of 2022, VCPA collaborated with a Bronx-based teaching artist to pilot an innovative curriculum in a local middle school. This multidisciplinary program was designed to educate middle school students about the history of enslaved people in New York, focusing specifically on the area that is now Van Cortlandt Park. The curriculum utilized a blend of theater arts, creative writing, and social-emotional learning practices to provide a comprehensive and engaging educational experience.
Given the success and positive feedback from this initial implementation, the program expanded in 2023 to include high school and elementary school students. This expansion allowed a broader range of students to benefit from this unique and impactful curriculum. High school students were able to delve deeper into historical analysis and more complex creative projects, while elementary school students were introduced to these important historical topics in an age-appropriate manner through engaging and interactive activities.
This program not only provides students with a rich understanding of an often overlooked aspect of their local history but also equips them with valuable skills in communication, empathy, and self-expression.
We are pleased to continue offering this program to educators who are interested in supplementing their history lessons with this curriculum. If you are an educator looking to enhance your students’ learning experience with a program that combines history, arts, and social-emotional development, we invite you to contact the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance for more information. Learn more about VCPA’s Arts Integration Residency HERE.
For more information or to register your class, please contact:
Ashley Hart Adams at ashley@vancortlandt.org
Unearthing the Past/Building the Future
In the fall of 2024, VCPA will launch Unearthing the Past/Building the Future, an interdisciplinary education program designed to foster historical, environmental, and social awareness among Bronx middle and high school students. This program aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the various historical, environmental, and social justice issues that have shaped Van Cortlandt Park and the surrounding community.
The program will explore the legacy of enslaved people and their role in shaping the park, emphasizing the intersection of history, environment, and social justice. Students will delve into the historical context of Van Cortlandt Park, including its origins as a plantation and the significant contributions of enslaved individuals. By examining the history of Tibbetts Brook and its recent daylighting project, students will learn about New York City’s largest green infrastructure project and its impact on flood mitigation, environmental resilience, and community accessibility.
In addition to historical and environmental topics, the program will address food justice by engaging students in discussions about ancestral crops, traditional recipes, and the racial and class disparities in the local food system. Through these discussions, students will gain a deeper understanding of food equity and the importance of community stewardship.
This program empowers students to become active participants in the preservation and enhancement of their local environment and community. By connecting historical policies and current environmental challenges, the program aims to inspire advocacy and proactive engagement among students.
If you are an educator interested in enriching your students’ learning experience with a program that combines history, environmental, and social justice, we invite you to contact the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance for more information. Learn more about VCPA’s Unearthing the Past/Building the Future HERE.
For more information or to register your class, please contact:
Ashley Hart Adams at ashley@vancortlandt.org
Sara Kempton at sara@vancortlandt.org
- Reimagining Memorial Spaces: A Black History Month Conversation
- Prism NYC: In the House: Van Cortlandt House
- Pinkster’s Legacy with Lavada Nahon and Chief Baba Neil Clarke
- Let’s Talk About Slavery in Van Cortlandt Park, with Cheyney McKnight
- Stealing Joy: Finding resilience in Black Holiday traditions, with Kamau Ware and Nicole A. Taylor
- Lenape (Delaware) Arts in Indian Territory, with Joe Baker
The Pathways to the Past: Enslaved Africans Legacy tour will enlighten participants on the true history that shaped Van Cortlandt Park. Visit the tour page here.
Annual Events
Juneteenth Ceremonies
2021: In gratitude for the sacrifice of the African Ancestors who built what is now Van Cortlandt Park, the African Burial Ground in the park was consecrated on Saturday, June 19, 2021.
2022: Van Cortlandt Park Alliance and Bronx Arts Ensemble co-hosted an evening celebration of Juneteenth on Monday, June 20, 2022.
2023: Van Cortlandt Park Alliance and Bronx Arts Ensemble co-hosted an evening celebration of Juneteenth on Monday, June 19, 2023. Click here for a video of clips from the event.
2024: Van Cortlandt Park Alliance and Bronx Arts Ensemble co-hosted an evening celebration of Juneteenth on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.
2025: Van Cortlandt Park Alliance and Bronx Arts Ensemble co-hosted an evening celebration of Juneteenth on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
2026: Van Cortlandt Park Alliance and Bronx Arts Ensemble co-hosted an evening celebration of Juneteenth on Friday, June 19, 2026.
Pinkster Festivals
2023: Van Cortlandt Park Alliance, Van Cortlandt House Museum and Kingsbridge Historical Society co-hosted an afternoon Pinkster Festival on Saturday, May 6, 2023.
2024: Van Cortlandt Park Alliance, Van Cortlandt House Museum and Kingsbridge Historical Society co-hosted an afternoon Pinkster Festival on Saturday May 4, 2024.
2025: Van Cortlandt Park Alliance, Van Cortlandt House Museum and Kingsbridge Historical Society co-hosted an afternoon Pinkster Festival on Saturday May 3, 2025.
2026: Van Cortlandt Park Alliance, Van Cortlandt House Museum and Kingsbridge Historical Society co-hosted an afternoon Pinkster Festival on Saturday May 2, 2026.
Past Events & Projects
Honoring our African Ancestors
Batá Drummers dedicated an Oro for Égun ceremony at the Enslaved African & Kingsbridge Burial Ground in Van Cortlandt Park on October 28, 2023.
Baobab Tree Installation
An art installation, by Tijay Mohammed, that graced the park from April 2023 to April 2024.