Elmhurst, Queens – A roughly one‑acre parcel that once held the burial ground for up to 300 free Black residents from the early 1800s is facing foreclosure, prompting local officials and community advocates to call for its preservation.
Historical significance and recent discoveries
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards noted that “200 years ago, before all these homes and streets were here, the land below our feet was a cemetery.” The site was originally owned by the United African Society of Newtown and later associated with St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Rev. Kim Detherage of St. Mark AME Church explained that after New York’s emancipation of enslaved people, local Black leaders purchased the land for $80 – a substantial sum at the time – to create a sacred burial space.
In 2011, construction uncovered the fully mummified remains of Martha Peterson in an airtight iron casket, bringing renewed attention to the site’s historic value.
Legal and governmental response
New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a motion to intervene in the foreclosure, stating the state will ensure any buyer is aware of the burial ground and its legal obligations to protect the remains. Under a 2023 New York law, property owners cannot disturb human remains without identifying and notifying descendants and culturally affiliated groups.
City Council Member Shekar Krishnan emphasized the importance of preserving such sites, saying the council is determined to protect neighborhood histories from erasure.
Calls for city acquisition
Local leaders are urging the city to purchase the property out of foreclosure and designate it as a historic landmark. “We respectfully ask the city to acquire this property and turn it over to the parks department, so it could be converted into a green space that would serve as a memorial to the people buried here,” said Grace Kim, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Supporters argue that preserving the land would both safeguard the burial site and provide a public memorial honoring the free Black residents who were laid to rest there.
Next steps
The city’s decision on whether to intervene and purchase the parcel will shape the future of this historic site, which stands as a reminder of the contributions and struggles of early Black communities in Queens.
Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.
