Proc. 7984 Title 3--The President Proclamation 7984 of February 27, 2006 Establishment of the African American Burial Ground National Monument By the President of the United States o/America A Proclamation In Lower Manhattan, at the corners of Duane and Elk Streets, lies an unde- veloped parcel of approximately 15,000 square feet that constitutes a re- maining portion of New York City's early African Burial Ground. The site is part of an approximately 7-acre National Historic Landmark established on April 19, 1\365\3653. From the 16\3650s to the 17\3650s, the African Burial Ground served as the final resting place of enslaved and free Africans in New York City, New York. It contains the remains of those interred, as well as the archeologica] resources and artifacts associated with their burials. Prior to the date of this proclamation, the site was administered by the General Services Administration (GSA), and it will be the location of a memorial, to be constructed soon according to a design selected on April 29, 2005, through a competition conducted by the GSA with the participation of the National Park Service (NPS) and other interested parties. Whereas the African Burial Ground National Monument will promote un- derstanding of related resources, encourage continuing research, and present interpretive opportunities and programs for visitors to better under- stand and honor the culture and vital contributions of generations of Afri- cans and Americans of African descent to our Nation; Whereas section 2 of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 16 U.S.C. 431) (the "Antiquities Act") authorizes the President, in his discretion, to de- clare by public proclamation historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other obiects of historic or scientific interest that are situ- ated upon lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States to be national monuments, and to reserve as a part thereof parcels of land, the limits of which in all cases shall be confined to the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the obiects to be protected; Whereas it would be in the public interest to preserve the portion of the African Burial Ground at the corner of Duane and Elk Streets in New York City, and certain lands as necessary for the care and management of the historic and scientific obiects therein, as the African Burial Ground Na- tional Monument; NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by section 2 of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 16 U.S.C. 431), do proclaim that there are hereby set apart and reserved as the African Burial Ground National Monument for the purpose of protecting the obiects described above, all lands and inter- ests in lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States with the boundaries described on the accompanying land description, which is attached and forms a part of this proclamation. The Federal land and interests in land reserved consist of approximately 15,000 square feet, which is the smallest area compatible with the proper care and manage- ment of the obiects to be protected. 12
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