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Mapping the Past: Students Help Bring to Light the Hidden Histories of The Bronx
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August 26, 2026<\/p>\n
The Enslaved African Burial Ground in Van Cortlandt Park is more than just a historic site. For Lehman students\u00a0participating\u00a0in the\u00a0Bronx Hidden Histories Initiative<\/a>, it is a place where history comes to life through hands-on research and discovery.\u00a0<\/p>\n Working alongside staff members Moyagaye Bedward and Alice Augustine, students in the Bronx Hidden Histories Initiative use archival records, GIS mapping, and collaborative research to uncover stories from the colonial Bronx. Their goal is to make these histories more accessible to the public while honoring more than 90 enslaved Africans whose names have been\u00a0identified\u00a0through the project.\u00a0<\/p>\n Bedward, the project’s\u00a0Principal\u00a0Investigator,\u00a0has been part of the work since\u00a02023.\u00a0Drawing on\u00a0her\u00a0expertise\u00a0as a historian of slavery, she helps students strengthen their archival research skills.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a much longer-term project, and we hope to map the lineage of enslaved Africans to freedom and hopefully locate some of their descendants,\u201d she said. \u201cI think it would be a really fantastic opportunity for\u00a0descendants\u00a0today to see their lineage and be able to know that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Students from a wide range of disciplines are taking part in the fellowship,\u00a0which was created to uncover and share overlooked histories of slavery in the Bronx.\u00a0Many say the experience is reshaping how they see the Bronx and their place in its history.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt is\u00a0a\u00a0kind of dedication,\u00a0and we don’t expect it to be easy\u00a0finding\u00a0enslaved Africans,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0sophomore Adam\u00a0Adossama.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0think\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0an\u00a0honor to\u00a0be able to preserve the history and make sure as many people know enough about it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Augustine’s involvement extends beyond the fellowship. For years, she has worked to support the revitalization of the Enslaved African Burial Ground and bring greater visibility to the stories connected to the site.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe wanted to take care of this space\u00a0the way that any of our ancestors would have taken care of\u00a0it\u00a0today,\u201d\u00a0Augustine\u00a0said. \u201cIt’s\u00a0a healing space,\u00a0and\u00a0as we come, we call\u00a0on\u00a0the names\u00a0of the enslaved people that the students found in research.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n