In 2003, a series of coffins were revealed during infrastructure upgrades in the heart of downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Through archaeology and DNA analysis the City confirmed the site was at one time a segregated burying place for Africans and their descendents (likely both enslaved and free) and that as many as 200 individuals are buried below. Their names are unknown. The site was in use from the early 1700s through to the 19th century during which time it was paved over, built over and forgotten.
The Portsmouth community chose to close this public street to through traffic and honor those buried there by transforming this downtown City block into a public place of reverence, reflection, and learning. Working with two nationally recognized and accomplished design professionals, the community will create the African Burying Ground Memorial Park, We Stand in Honor of Those Forgotten, with original works of outdoor public art at its core.
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