African Burial Ground

I couldn't go on the trip to the Burial Ground the week my class was scheduled to go so I went this past week. It was a blast!

I live really close to New York so it was nice to almost be home and even just to be in another city for a day. I often take my proximity to New York for granted. Many of my classmates had never been to New York before and it initially came as shock to me before I quickly remembered that not everyone lives as close to New York as I do. NYC is one of my favorite cities in the world!

Visiting the Burial Ground was a truly moving experience. The park rangers were very knowledgeable and reinforced Dr. Carr's teachings about being in touch with our African heritage and knowing more about Classical Africa. I learned so much about Africa's influence on Western culture and of how so much of Africa can be seen in our culture today. One of park rangers was of mixed ethnicity but he looked as if he was only white. He had a very interesting take on the Burial Ground and Classical Africa that reinforced a strong sense of pride in me. It was also great that one of the park rangers was an HU alum.

Once we left the Burial Ground, we had some time to roam the Harlem area. Though some may disagree, Harlem is a bastion of rich history and culture. It was great to end the trip at one of my favorite soul food restaurants, Sylvia's!