Research, Memory, and Respect: A St. John’s Student at the African Burial Ground

St. John’s University graduate student Sebastian Loiseau spent his summer in a sacred space—a reminder of a shameful period in US history, and a place where remembrance, research, and respect come together to give voice to lives long overlooked.

Sebastian is a student in the combined Bachelor of Arts/Master of Arts in History program in St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and is projected to graduate in May. “I always liked history and felt like it was something I could teach someday,” he said.

A graduate of Chaminade High School in Mineola, NY, Sebastian transferred to St. John’s after two years at Nassau Community College. “I wanted to stay local, and my brother attends St. John’s, so it felt like a good fit,” he recalled.

After a recommendation from one of his professors, Sebastian was approached by Elizabeth LaRochelle ’19SJC, ’20M.A., Youth Programs Coordinator for the National Parks of New York Harbor (and a former program graduate) about an internship with the National Park Service.

Eventually, Sebastian was assigned to the Visitor Center and Museum adjacent to the African Burial Ground National Monument located in lower Manhattan. Rediscovered in 1991 during the construction of the Ted Weiss Federal Office Building, it contains remains of up to 15,000 free and enslaved Africans from the 17th and 18th centuries. Community advocates pressured the city to study the site and rebury the individuals with dignity. Eventually, it became a national monument.

One of Sebastian’s responsibilities was greeting visitors who came to the monument, looking either to learn more about the burial ground or to spend time in quiet contemplation. “Sometimes you’re answering questions and other times you step back and give them space,” he commented, noting that he thoroughly enjoyed his visitor interactions. “Several visitors come for information. Others come to reflect. You have to respect both.”

“Many people don’t know that New York had an enslaved African population. That’s part of what this site exists to correct.” Their own community buried enslaved Africans, and this is not a mass grave, he noted.

Another mandate for the internship was an independent research project, Sebastian noted. “One of my class projects was on dental history and a forensics team from Howard University spent three years studying the remains, which provided an excellent resource on the subject. So I went in there with the intention that my final project would be about the dental health of Africans.”

Ultimately, Sebastian used ArcGIS StoryMaps to trace African cultures, migration routes, enslavement, and the site’s origins. 

His project can be accessed here. 

This complex interdisciplinary work wove together history, archaeology, geography, and data visualization. “The scope of the project kept expanding,” he explained. “My project ended up being the equivalent of a full semester’s work, but that’s how much context this history demands.”

Sebastian sees himself as technically oriented. “It’s essential to master these tools as they are rapidly expanding and of great value.” 

While his career path is undefined, he sees himself teaching, conducting research, or being involved with some other form of public scholarship. “The internship was definitely a great opportunity for me to showcase my skills. I didn’t just learn more history—I learned how much responsibility comes with telling it.”