New York is a beautiful city that can be described as a whole cake and not just a piece. From the endless entertainment and Broadway shows to the shopping, the best part is the lifestyle the city allows. Let's not forget that it is home to some of America's most important monuments that celebrate America's most important heroes and others that celebrate America as a country. All that aside, there is one monument that catches my attention the most, the African Burial Ground National Monument. In such a diverse city, I appreciate anything that recognizes the minority. We all know the history of African Americans and slavery. For those who may not have read history, Africans were slaves in America and were from time immemorial secondary to others. Far from sarcasm, I like this monument for its attempt to recognize the history of African-American descendants, intrinsic to the development of the city. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The monument is located in the Ted Weiss Federal Building in the Civic Center in Lower Manhattan. It is a twenty-five foot granite monument which constitutes the map of the Atlantic zone, an allusion to the middle passage which was used to transport slaves from Africa to North America. It is erected in stone from South America to North America to signify the meeting of the two worlds. The Door of Return belongs to the expression "The Door of No Return" used by West African chiefs to reveal that slaves would not return home at any time. The monument joins native African-Americans in their lineage. In the 1600s, African slaves were buried in the North Cemetery of Trinity Church. Not all slaves could spare the cost of fees and this resulted in burying their loved ones in the South. In 1967, Trinity obtained this land to establish its church and prohibited Africans from using it for burial purposes. The church further requested that people be prohibited from using the town cemetery, which was permitted. This resulted in the creation of the Negros Cemetery which was part of Sara Roelof's estate. Sara was a translator between city officials and Native American tribes. This land was used for the burial of freed and enslaved slaves until 1794. The land was then designated for building and was raised twenty-five feet to cover the cemetery. As urban expansion took place outside the cemetery, the burial site was neglected. It was only in the 19th century that curiosity began to be aroused after a local landowner spoke of human bones dug in his compound. After so much speculation and propaganda regarding the skeletal remains in the area, in October 1991, the General Services administration carried out an archaeological survey prior to acquiring the land. Several intact burials were made, which sparked the interest of African-American communities. They felt that they were not conferred enough and that the type of findings were not taken into account. Protests ensued after learning that intact graves had been exhumed. Activism from the African American community intensified and prompted then-President George Bush to sign an order banning all construction in the area. Three million dollars have been allocated for a memorial in the area. The same year, 1992, the cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places because the extent of the burials made itremarkable for regional and national history. In 1993, it was designated a National Historic Landmark. The identification and the controversies it caused received significant national media attention and gave rise to archaeological research into African American ancestry. This time, African American archaeologists and students were involved in this study. A competition for the memorial was held and attracted more than sixty submissions. The winner, Rodney Leon, joined forces with Nicole Hollant Deniss to erect the current memorial. In 2006, the site was declared a national monument and under the National Park Service. In 2007, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was officiated by Maya Angelou and Michael Bloomberg. This monument not only represents the ground on which African and African-American slaves were buried. It represents the struggle of Africans to reclaim their history. As journalist Edward Rothstein wrote in his article A Burial Ground and Its Dead Are Given Life, Among the scars left by the legacy of slavery, one of the greatest is absence: where are the monuments memorials, cemeteries, architectural structures or robust structures? sanctuaries which generally constitute the foundation of the memory of a people? During the excavations, personal items such as silver pendants were recovered. Some of the remains were filed teeth which constituted an aesthetic culture for Africans. Studies have also shown that deaths are common among children aged twelve and younger. This says a lot about the mortality rate of African Americans. The monument further shows the concrete recognition of the African-American people. For so long, they were sidelined. Their contribution to the growth of America as a whole has long been overlooked. This monument represents African Americans who made the greatest contributions to the economy. It commands respect for people who have been treated with unfathomable brutality and deprived of their culture. The discoveries of the African cemetery changed the thinking of the first African American history books on this subject that were published. The first slavery exhibit in New York took place in 2005 and was organized by the New York Historical Society. But most importantly, she plays a role in the fight for equality for African Americans. As mentioned earlier, African Americans are one of the minority groups in America. Inequalities did not end with the end of the slave trade; they still persist today. As I read about the creation of the monument, I was impressed by the aggressiveness of the African American community in ensuring that the intact burials were not disturbed. They ensured that they were included in the archaeological study. Today, the struggle continues. African Americans have formed various movements that help them fight for their rights. A good example is the Black Lives Matter movement. It doesn't stop here, in this digital era we are in social media and the internet has become the most influential platform. Hashtags and movements aimed at empowering black women in particular are multiplying daily. They allow African American women to be proud of themselves, whether it's their hair type, skin color, or body size and tone. With the freedom granted to African Americans, we have seen them become some of the most influential. people in the world. One example is the late Maya Angelou, a great poet and forever remembered as a great feminist. The most influential is President Barrack who was the first African-American president. African Americans also..