The Newburgh council voted on Dec. 8 to approve a capital reserve fund for an African American burial ground memorial and reinterment site in Downing Park — a matter in the works since 2008 when human remains were found under the former Broadway School.
Currently, 99 exhumed remains of African American children, women and men are being preserved, waiting to be reinterned, according to the city.
“For nearly 20 years, our community has carried the responsibility of what was uncovered beneath the old Broadway School,” Mayor Torrance Harvey said in a statement. “They are Newburgh citizens, and we are returning them home with the respect, love, and reverence they were denied in life.”
The city council approved the resolution with a tally of 6-1 with Omari Shakur voting “no,” arguing that the funds would be better spent on youth programming.
“Some of my ancestors, they’re dead. I got it,” said Shakur on the Facebook live stream of the council meeting. “But two million dollars for a memorial — no.” He cited need of funds for “the living kids.” The disagreement later erupted into shouting between him and Harvey, who threatened to remove Shakur from the meeting.
Where will the funding come from?
The city will assign $1.9 million for the reserve fund as per a recent construction estimate, said Mike Neppl, chief of staff for Newburgh.
This sum will be drawn from earned income interest from the City’s ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) allocation.
What happened in 2008?
The reconstruction of the city courthouse from the Broadway School was paused in 2008 due to discovery of human remains. Of the 114 remains identified as of African descent by the city, 15 are still buried at the site. The other 99 remains are kept preserved at a New Paltz college campus.
The site was a burial ground beginning in 1830s through 1860s, after which, during the passage of time and redevelopment, its identity was lost during the 20th century.
What are the next steps?
To prepare for construction, the design, environmental review and bidding stages are upcoming.
The design layout and features include an entrance ceremonial plaza, curved pathways around a circular reinterment lawn, installations with historical references to “Colored Burial Ground” on Broadway, and use of regional construction materials like Ebony Mist granite and bluestone.
The city plans the memorial project as a gathering and healing site where “Residents and visitors alike will be able to walk its grounds, pause in its quiet spaces, read the stories etched into its granite stones, and understand a history that was once forgotten.”
Contact reporter Vandana Saras at vsaras@usatodayco.com and @orangecountynyreporter on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Newburgh approves fund for African American burial ground memorial
Reporting by Vandana Saras, Middletown Times Herald- Record / Times Herald-Record
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