From ABC7 New York · · 1m
Queens burial ground faces foreclosure battle
Free Black burial ground in Queens risks loss to foreclosure amid preservation push
In brief
Free Black burial ground in Queens risks loss to foreclosure amid preservation push City must act to protect historic Black burial ground from foreclosure Originally reported by ABC7 New York.
Historic burial ground at risk
A one-acre site in Elmhurst, Queens, faces foreclosure as a burial ground for free Black residents since the early 1800s.
“200 years ago, before all these homes and streets were here, the land below our feet was a cemetery. Specifically, it was the burial ground for up to 300 free Black slaves”
Historic significance
The site was part of Newtown, owned by the United African Society, and later associated with St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church.
“One year after the full emancipation of slavery in New York for colored men, John Peterson, George Durling, John Coles, and John Carter Page purchased over an acre of land for $80”
Legal intervention
New York Attorney General Letitia James filed to intervene in foreclosure, requiring buyers to know burial history and protect remains.
“We are going to court to make sure whoever buys this property knows exactly who is buried there and is aware of their legal obligation to protect them”
Historic discovery
Mummified remains of Martha Peterson were found in 2011 during construction, confirming the site's historical importance.
“The fully mummified remains of Martha Peterson were discovered in an airtight iron casket during construction”
Historical erasure
The cemetery was de-mapped in the 1930s after city policy decisions erased its historical records.
“The A was intentionally lost. Absolutely. And that was a city policy decision made in the 1930s”
Preservation push
Community leaders urge city to purchase property and designate as historic landmark for memorial use.
“We respectfully ask the city to acquire this property and turn it over to the parks department, so it could be converted into a green space that would serve as a memorial to the people buried here”
What to remember
City must act to protect historic Black burial ground from foreclosure
