Photos : Isseu Diouf Campbell
On November 5, 2018, a coalition of elected officials joined Rodney Leon, architect of the African Burial Ground Monument in Lower Manhattan, to condemn the act of racist vandalism that occurred at the site on November 1, when a vandal scrawled a racial slur on the display. The rally, focused on combatting hate and racism, and promoting unity, comes on Black Solidarity Day.
Majority Leader Laurie A. Cumbo, Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, Council Members Ydanis Rodriguez and I. Daneek Miller co-Chairs of the Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus were among the elected officials present.
The African Burial Ground National Monument commemorates the oldest and largest known excavated burial ground in North America for both free and enslaved Africans, and serves as a reminder of the historic role slavery played in building New York City. A message was written in black marker on the display with the word ‘Kill’ followed by a racial slur. This act of vandalism comes amid a series of hateful actions being committed against marginalized groups in New York City and around the country.
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