Young Leaders of Staten Island are hosting a virtual celebration and fundraiser for Sandy Ground Historical Society. Sandy Ground is found in Rossville, Staten Island and is one of the oldest surviving communities in the United States founded by free African Americans in 1828 after the abolition of slavery but before the Civil War. Some of the historic structures that still stand in the area today are New York Landmarks. Early settlers brought their knowledge of the oyster trade to Staten Island. Sandy Ground also played a role as a stop on the Underground Railroad.

Learn more about Black history:

Black History Month at NYPL

Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America & Its Urgent Message for our Own

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