NEWBURGH, NY – The City of Newburgh is looking to move forward with a long-delayed project to properly memorialize and bury the remains of African Americans from the 1800s, discovered during a courthouse redevelopment years ago. While no specific funding source has yet been identified, Mayor Torrance Harvey is calling for immediate action.
A Monumental Project Without Funds
A site within Downing Park has already been selected as the future resting place and memorial location for the remains, which were unearthed during the construction of the city’s courthouse at the former Broadway School site. The remains are believed to belong to African Americans from a 19th-century “colored cemetery” that had long been forgotten.
Despite years passing since the discovery, the project has not progressed due to lack of funding. Mayor Harvey is now seeking to change that.
Mayor Harvey Proposes Bonding Solution
“I want to propose legislation that the city manager bonds out for the colored burial and the dock, which has at 90 percent design,” Harvey said, referring to the two significant projects still awaiting financial backing.
The proposed plan would involve the city issuing bonds to fund both the colored cemetery memorial and a waterfront dock project, which is nearly finalized in design. Bonding the costs would allow the city to move forward without waiting for state or federal grants, though it would add to municipal debt.
Historical Significance and Community Impact
The project carries deep cultural and historical meaning for the City of Newburgh. Community members and historians have long called for the city to respectfully reinter the remains and establish a permanent monument acknowledging the lives and stories of those buried at the forgotten cemetery.
Advocates say the project is a critical step toward honoring Newburgh’s African American heritage and reconciling with past injustices, especially in a city with a rich and complex racial history.
Next Steps Await Council Action
Mayor Harvey’s proposal will need support from the city council and approval from the city manager to proceed with the bond issuance. Community feedback and council deliberation are expected in the coming weeks.
If approved, this effort could finally bring closure and recognition to a chapter of Newburgh’s past that has waited far too long to be addressed.
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