This weekend, the Monday section of freshman seminar took a field trip to New York in order to see the African Burial Ground Museum. Once we arrived, we watched a short video depicting the history of the burial ground, and then were allowed to tour the small area of exhibit. The items in the exhibit were informative and interesting because they put a new twist on things as opposed to what was commonly expected. The personal touch of the story following a young girl was interesting and the life size figures of them were cool as well. Afterwards, we went outside and were given a tour of the monument which was constructed for all of those buried. This was my favorite aspect because of the symbols and general artistry of it.
After that we were taken to 125th street (aka Harlem) where we were allotted free time. The trip to Harlem was fun because we were allowed to see the Apollo, which was a new experience for me. In future trips, maybe a destination other than Harlem could be visited, such as time square, where there is not only the option to go shopping, but also sightseeing. This is because after awhile, shopping became dry, especially if you didn’t have money to spend. All in all this was a great field trip, although none of us were sure if it was mandatory. It was a nice experience in off campus education, and also inspired me to take advantage of more of the things that Howard University offers.
Last week the Monday freshman seminar made a trip to the African Burial grounds. We started off in the museum portion wear we saw a video on what the burial grounds meant to the African Slaves in colonial America and what into making the burial grounds a reality. What really blew my mind was that there was a fight over whether or not the burial ground memorial should be created. In the eyes of society it wasn't as big of a deal to other people as it was to the African American community. Regardless of the different views the African Burial grounds is an important part of American History and we are very fortunate to have it there for all of our viewing.
ReplyDeleteAfter a tour of the museum we were able to see the monument. Within the monument were the dates and different representations of some of the slaves who were buried in the burial ground. Also along the spiral ramps we saw how many symbols in different religions and cultures relate back to African Symbols. Overall the experience was inspiring and I’m glad I went.
This weekend I attended the Freshmen Seminar trip to the African Burial ground in New York. This was my second time visiting New York, and I was extremely excited to go again. I was intrigued to see that the burial ground site was located amidst various other corporate business offices. This shows that several other African burial grounds probably lay underneath buildings in New York. Upon our arrival students were informed that the burial ground was actually discovered while a business was in the process of creating a new office building. Many New York residents fought and protested to have the site made into a national monument. People did things such as protest,have meetings, and attend legal councils. Eventually they prevailed and in 2000 the African Burial Ground was created.
ReplyDeleteThe exhibit tour began outside and was lead by Brother Rasul. Dr. Carr also gave a libation in order to pay our respect to the ancestors at the burial ground and all those who have come before us. In order for students to understand the gravity of living conditions on a slave ship we were all packed into a sample slave ship. Space on the ship was nonexistent, and I personally do not believe that I could have survived through those type of conditions like our ancestors. Students were then given a guided description of each symbol that was located on the monument's wall. Some of the symbols included the Ankh which represents the symbol of life.
After the outside portion of the tour was complete the students were taken inside to watch a video that explained the African burial procession. It was formatted as a story of a little girl whose father died. The video showed how the father's body was prepared and what type of rituals and words were spoken at the actual funeral. Africans were very serious about burying their loved ones properly; often times they defied their owners to ensure that their ancestors were buried properly. Other parts of the inside exhibit included pictures of the bones found, video informational clips, and a replica coffin.
In conclusion the trip was extremely engaging and informative. As an African-American student, young woman, and leader, my appreciation for black culture has continued to grow. This trip has helped to fuel my value of African ancestors and their struggle. I would encourage all persons to visit the African Burial ground in New York.
Going to the African Burial Ground was surprisingly fun, in some ways. The mandatory burial ground session in Cramton Auditorium was a little over the top though. Having to leave class early just to attend, then being penalized for having to leave early because of prior engagements quickly turned a good day into a bad one. If extra sessions are going to be made mandatory then the students should be notified more than week in advance so proper arrangements can be prepared. Also, getting to the main purpose of the meeting in a timely manner should be worked on. But back to the actual trip! Dr. Carr did an excellent job of showcasing and explaining the different symbols that were carves into the walls outside in the back of the museum. His vast knowledge was greatly appreciated. Once the outside portion of the trip was completed we went inside the museum. There, a video depicting the history of the burial ground and those involved with uncovering and identifying the bodies was shown. From there we were able to freely explore the rest of the museum. I was expecting the museum to be bigger than it was, but the amount of artifacts, general facts, and pictures made up for the lack in size. The next part of the trip was my least favorite. With plenty of work left to complete back in DC, after the museum tour I was ready to head back. Yes, New York is a great city to shop in but that should be done on a person’s own personal time and not someone else’s. Megabus has plenty of cheap round-trip tickets to New York. Also, for shopping, maybe another destination other than Harlem could have been visited. Overall the trip was good and I’m looking forward to revisiting the burial ground in the future.
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