African Burial
Ground
National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior
African
Burial Ground National Monument
Rediscovering the African Burial Ground
Schedule for the 20th anniversary commemoration
Oct. 4-8, 2011
Tuesday, October
4, 2011
10:30AM: Film Series — Eric V. Tait, Jr.,
director of the film, “Then I’ll Be Free to Travel Home,” will conduct a
screening of the documentary, and provide commentary about the making of the
film. Part 2 (56 min.) of the film will be shown. A question and answer period
will follow the screening of the film. RSVP required.
NOON: 60 Seconds of Silence: The African Burial
Ground National Monument will honor the lives of the estimated 15,000 enslaved
and free Africans and African descendants who are buried in the African Burial
Ground cemetery by observing 60 seconds of silence at 12 noon on each day of
Youth Week (October 4-8, 2011). During this time frame, everyone is encouraged
to stop, think and reflect upon the lives of those who are buried in the African
Burial Ground and the horrors of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.
12:15PM: Gallery Talk — “The Slave Revolt of
1741” 1:00PM: Children’s Story Time
2:00PM: An Introduction to Ancient and Early
African Writing Systems and the Philosophical Language of Adinkra by Pat
Leonard. RSVP required.
Wednesday,
October 5, 2011
11:00AM:
Workshop presentation on other rediscovered African Burial Grounds. RSVP
required.
NOON: 60 Seconds of
Silence
NOON: Children’s Story Time
1:00PM: Film Series — “George Washington
Carver” (29 min.)
2:00PM: Rev.
Pat Singletary from the Harlem African Burial Ground Project. RSVP
required.
Thursday, October 6,
2011
11:00AM: A workshop on “Proverbs, Aphorisms and
Mother Wits — Learning from the Wisdom of and Elders” by Pat Leonard. RSVP
required.
NOON: 60 Seconds of
Silence
12:30PM: “For Freedom’s
Sake” — A first-person presentation by Nicola and Rufus James about the African
presence in New York during the 18th Century. RSVP required.
1:00PM: Children’s Story Time
2:00PM:
Children’s Entertainment: face painting, a magician and animal balloons
3:00PM: Gallery Talk—Burial
Practices and Pinkster
3:30PM:
Film Series — “The Maggie Walker Story” (12 min.)
Friday, October 7,
2011*
10:45AM: F.R.E.E.D.O.M. Academy performance
11:00AM: Ceremony commemorating
the 20th anniversary of the rediscovery of the African Burial Ground
NOON: 60 Seconds of Silence
1:00 PM onward — “Ceremony of Receiving African Names”
conducted by Queen Mother Dr. Delois Blakely for the general public
1:15PM: African Drum and Dance
performance by F.R.E.E.D.O.M. Academy
1:30-4PM: Exhibit on slavery in New York in the
visitor center. Gene Peters, the exhibit’s curator and an African Burial Ground
NM volunteer, will be on-hand to answer questions.
2:00PM: Film Series — Shawn Utsey will conduct
a screening of his documentary, “Meet Me in the Bottom” (45 min.) a film about
the Richmond Burial Ground in Virginia. A question and answer period will follow
the screening. RSVP required
4:30PM: Caroline Evans will bring history alive
through first-person interpretation of two African-American women who changed
the world: Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth. RSVP required
6:00PM: Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy (The name
Ifetayo comes from the West African Yoruba word meaning, “love is enough for
joy.”)
6:30PM: Universal Creative
Arts Ensemble-Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble — traditional African
songs, instruments, dance and stilt walker
7:15PM: Performance by the African Caribbean
group Something Positive, Inc. (30 minute performance)
*Memorial and
Visitor Center will remain open until 8:00PM
Saturday, October 8, 2011
10:00AM: Libation ceremony with Gregory Carr
featuring a drum circle
11:00AM:
Family Memory Box Workshop. RSVP required
NOON: 60 Seconds of Silence
1:00PM: Poetry
Slam, “A Shout Out to the Ancestors”
2:00PM: Red Storm Drum and Dance Troupe — This
program offers insight into Native American history, art and music. It also
showcases the music and dance traditions of America’s indigenous nations.
6:30PM: Candle lit “A Broader
View” walking tour will leave from Federal Hall National Memorial and conclude
at African Burial Ground National Monument’s outdoor memorial. RSVP required
6:30PM: Candle lit “Abolitionist”
walking tour will leave from African Burial National Monument and conclude at
the site’s outdoor memorial. RSVP required
All events are free. Schedule
is subject to change.
For more information visit
www.nps.gov/afbg or follow us at
twitter.com/AFBurialGrndNPS
Submitted by t. Rasul Murray