The City of Newburgh celebrated the unveiling of a new historical marker on Sunday, Oct. 13, at the Newburgh Courthouse. The marker honors the African Americans buried at the site, now beneath the courthouse, along Route 9W.

The unveiling marked the culmination of more than a decade of work by the Colored Burial Ground Committee, a grassroots group of local residents dedicated to preserving the memory of those buried at the site. The committee includes Chairperson Dr. Benilda Jones, Pamela Krizek, Ramona Burton, and Gabrielle Burton Hill. Their efforts were supported by city officials and community advocates.

The existence of the Colored Burial Ground was discovered in 2008 during routine construction at the courthouse, located at the corner of Robinson Avenue (Route 9W) and Broadway. The remains of African American men, women, and children were unearthed during that time.

While the remains have been preserved and moved to facilities and academic institutions in the area, the city and its partners are working to return them to a new memorial site. The memorial is planned for construction at the top of the hill in Downing Park near the pergola, with a bid process expected to begin in the spring of 2025.

On a rainy Sunday afternoon, city residents, committee members, elected officials, and community partners gathered in the courthouse parking lot for a ceremony marking the occasion.

Mayor Torrance Harvey was joined by City Council members Bob Sklarz, Ramona Monteverde, Robert McLymore, Omari Shakur, and Giselle Martinez. Former Councilman Anthony Grice also attended.

“Today’s ceremony honors the memory of African American slaves and acknowledges their significant struggle and sacrifice throughout American history for freedom, equality, and justice for all,” Harvey said. “It emphasizes the importance of reflection, unity, and addressing past injustices while looking forward to a better future.”

Other guests included Kyle Conway, president of the NAACP Newburgh/Highland Falls chapter; Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson; Orange County Legislators Genesis Ramos and Kevindaryán Luján; Sen. Rob Rolison; and Senate candidate Yvette Valdés Smith. City Judge Joanne Forbes, Bishop Jeffrey C. Woody, and other city officials were also in attendance.

Tyrone Wilson, founder and executive director of Harambee Kingston, led a libation ceremony dressed in traditional African attire. He poured water to bless the grounds, offering prayers in honor of the ancestors buried there.

“The libation is a blessing for those who lay here, for our ancestors,” Wilson said. “It’s an honor to them for what they’ve been through and for this to be their final resting place. It’s also an honor for all of us standing here today, because they sacrificed for us to be in this very space.”

Ramona Burton, of the Colored Burial Ground Committee, also spoke. “I was in the ground, deep down with those bones,” she said. “This marker is a representation of how far we’ve come. There’s more to come.”

Conway reflected on the significance of the event. “We are here to honor our ancestors,” he said. “This marker is an exclamation point that Black lives are worthy of the American dream. The City of Newburgh, in partnership with caring people, will continue the mission to correct America’s historical mistakes.”

Gabrielle Burton Hill shared her gratitude and quoted abolitionist Frederick Douglass. The ceremony concluded with a rendition of “Lift Every Voice & Sing,” led by Mayor Harvey and Burton Hill, and the unveiling of the marker as the sun broke through the clouds.