National Conference On
African Burial Grounds USA 2027
Join us at the first National Conference On African Burial Ground USA 2027 sponsored by Harambee Kingston NY, Inc.
National Conference On African Burial Grounds USA 2027
Sponsored by Harambee Kingston NY, Inc.
Kingston, NY
Goals for the First National Conference on African Burial Grounds USA
These goal of the conference aims to protect African Burial Grounds within the United States of America, elevate their significance, and ensure coordinated, lasting efforts toward their preservation.
Raise National Awareness About African Burial Grounds
Many African Burial Grounds across the U.S. remain unknown or unprotected. Raising awareness will help educate the public and highlight the cultural, historical, and spiritual significance of these sacred sites. By informing a larger audience, we can build support for preservation efforts.
Advocate for Stronger Legal Protections
Currently, African Burial Grounds often lack the legal protections they need to prevent desecration or destruction. By pushing for stronger federal, state, and local laws, we can ensure these burial grounds are preserved and respected for future generations. This is crucial to honor the legacies of those buried there.
Foster Collaboration Among Stakeholders
Preservation efforts require the involvement of many groups, including community leaders, archaeologists, historians, and policymakers. By fostering collaboration, the conference will help connect these groups, enabling them to work together more effectively to protect burial grounds. Together, they can create a unified plan of action.
Provide Education and Skills for Preservation
Identifying, documenting, and preserving burial grounds requires specialized knowledge and techniques. This conference will offer workshops that teach practical skills, from using technology to locate burial sites to learning best practices for preservation. Providing these tools empowers communities to take action.
Build a National Database of African Burial Grounds
There is no central resource that tracks the location and condition of African Burial Grounds in the U.S. A national database will help document these sites, track their preservation status, and allow for coordinated efforts to protect them. This will serve as an essential tool for future preservation work.
Elevate the Voices of Descendant Communities
Descendant communities have a direct connection to the people buried in these grounds and must be at the center of the preservation movement. Elevating their voices ensures that their ancestors’ stories and traditions are honored and that their input guides preservation efforts. It also fosters healing and reconciliation.
Inspire Long-Term Action and Policy Change
This conference is not just about raising awareness; it’s about inspiring lasting change. By developing a national action plan, establishing a task force, and pushing for policy changes, we can ensure that the work continues beyond the conference. Long-term action is needed to protect burial grounds permanently and integrate their preservation into broader conversations about racial justice.
National Conference Advisors and Planners
Moving Forward
We are bringing together members from our extensive local and national network of professionals. This diverse group includes historians, archaeologists, anthropologists, students, researchers, genealogists, archivists, museum curators, faith leaders, artists, educators, ceremonialists, and cultural practitioners actively engaged in their respective fields.
The Conference Advisors will play a crucial role in shaping the focus, mission, narrative, and content recommendations essential for a successful conference experience.
The Conference Planners will take the lead in designing, planning and developing the workshops, panels, keynote speakers, presenters, cultural experience and overall conference logistics informed by the mission and recommendations provided by the Conference Advisory Group.
Both the Conference Advisors and the Conference Planning Group will work closely with the leadership and staff of Harambee Kingston NY.
Harambee Kingston NY, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit community organization located in Kingston, NY, serves as the steward of the historic Pine Street African Burial Ground at 157 Pine, Kingston, NY. Discover more about Harambee Kingston's programs, events, and the history of the Pine Street African Burial Ground, the oldest documented burial site of enslaved and freed African/African American in New York State.
Join Us
Please fill out the Contact Form below if you are interested in participating in the National Conference On African Burial Ground USA planned for 2027.
Visit www.HarambeeKingstonNY.org or email us at info@harmabeekingstonny.org for more information.
