Queens Borough President Advocates for Memorial at Historic African American Burial Ground
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. is advocating for the city to purchase a historic African American burial ground in Elmhurst, Queens, which has been paved over and used as a parking lot. He proposes transforming the site into a…
New York, NY, September 2, 2026 —
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. has initiated a call for the city to acquire a significant historical site in Elmhurst, Queens, identified as an African American burial ground. The area, currently paved over and utilized as a parking lot, is the subject of a proposal to be transformed into a memorial.
Richards’ initiative centers on honoring the legacy of enslaved and formerly enslaved New Yorkers who are interred at the site. The proposal aims to reclaim the land from its current use and establish a dedicated space for remembrance and education.
The specific details regarding the proposed purchase, including the current owner of the land and the financial terms of a potential acquisition, were not immediately available. Furthermore, the exact timeline for the advocacy efforts or any potential city response remains to be detailed.
The borough president’s office has not released further information concerning the scope of the memorial or the community engagement planned for its development. The objective is to recognize and memorialize a piece of New York’s history that has been largely unrecognized due to its present condition and past use.
Story summarized from the original created by Greg B. Smith on www.thecityreporter.nyc, see more information here.
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