African Burial Ground rediscovered after being built over

The African Burial Ground, used in the late 17th through late 18th centuries as a burial site for free and enslaved Africans, was largely forgotten and built over during later federal and commercial development. Human remains and artifacts were uncovered during archaeological excavations in 1991 during construction for the federal courthouse, prompting scientific study and public attention. The site led to the establishment of the African Burial Ground National Monument and a visitor center that interpret the previously obscured burial ground and its history. The rediscovery documented the disappearance and later commemoration of an important early African American community site in Lower Manhattan.