Episode Details

In Elmhurst, Queens, construction workers uncovered a haunting secret: a burial ground holding the remains of early free Black residents, including a young woman in an iron coffin—dying even before slavery ended. Once home to St. Mark AME Church, founded by that same pioneering generation, the site was more than a church—it was a community hub, school, and gathering place where icons like Frederick Douglass spoke. Now, with ten bodies found and possibly hundreds more, activists led by the church’s pastor are pushing for landmark status and a memorial to honor these forgotten founders of Queens’ Black community. This is more than history—it’s a call to remember, recognize, and preserve the vibrant legacy of those who built their lives and futures from the ground up.

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