In my understanding, slavery had been predominantly associated with the rural South before I visited the African Burial Museum in New York. It was shocking to learn that back in the 18th century slaves made up around a quarter of all population of New York. As a matter of fact, I did not expect that New York had been one of the biggest slave-holding cities in America at the time. Moreover, I was impressed by the size of the cemetery discovered under the commercial center: while 419 bodies’ remnants were exhumed, the rest are still buried under the foundations of New York’s lower Manhattan (the number of the buried slaves and free blacks ranges from 10,000 to approximately 20,000).
Knowing about the site as well as about the lives and deaths of black New Yorkers buried in Manhattan in what was known as “Negros Burial Ground” has changed my perception of discrimination and inequality experienced by African Americans these days. In particular, if black people were the major force behind the construction of the city why don’t they have a fair share in its present-day property or land? If their ancestors worked so hard that their bones got injured and distorted why don’t present-day African Americans get a fair chance to earn degrees at American universities but do menial jobs instead? If black people in the past lost so many children due to malnutrition, disease, and hard work, why don’t their children get the chance to attend best schools and colleges but should grow in poverty again?
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Also, it has become clear that slavery played a great role in the development of New York and the United States. But for slaves, the urban centers would have never risen and grown to such extent as they did in the South and in the North alike. But for slaves, the economy of the colonies would have never thrived, which means that the colonies would have never been strong enough to fight England and become independent. Finally, had it not been for slavery, white Americans would have never had enough time to study, do research, engage in politics, and create cultural masterpieces. Therefore, the legacy of slavery today is the whole country, not just some parts.
