NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — At first glance it may seem like just another vacant lot in New York City. But this patch of land in Elmhurst, Queens, hold a deep history: It’s the site of a burial ground where hundreds of formerly enslaved people built one of the city’s first Black neighborhoods, Newtown.
Advocates are urging the City to step in and preserve the land to honor those resting here and to educate future generations about their stories.
In total, about 300 Newtown residents are buried at the site. The plot of land has had several owners over the years, and the burial ground was eventually paved over…