Forgotten Bones: Uncovering a Slave Cemetery

by Lois Miner Huey

Imagine you're watching a backhoe dig up the ground for a construction project when a round object rolls down a pile of dirt and stops at your feet. You pick it up, brush off some dirt, and realize you're holding a skull!



This is exactly what happened in Albany, New York, in 2005. Workers were putting in new sewer line when a backhoe driver dug up a skull. After police declared the skull wasn't connected to any recent crimes, a team of archaeologists took a closer look. They determined the skull was from an African American who had died more than one hundred years earlier.



Suddenly the construction site turned into an archaeological dig. Scientists excavated more bones and realized that they had located a long-lost slave cemetery. Slavery had been legal in the northern United States, including in New York State, in colonial times, but the stories of these slaves are largely unknown. This site became just the third slave cemetery ever to be excavated in the North. See how archaeologists pieced together the truth about these once forgotten bones.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Middle Grade, Science, Archaeology, Historical, Childrens

56 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2015

Reviews

[Sesana · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's an incredible amount of very fascinating information crammed into just barely more than 50 pages. It doesn't just cover the excavation of the cemetery that's the main focus of the book (which, I was interested to learn, was on the property of Alexander Hamilton's father-in-law, though the book never makes that connection). It also goes over what this cemetery and others like it in the North have revealed about slavery in northern states.

[Elle · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I checked this book out, I wasn't aware that it was intended for kids, but that became immediately obvious when I started reading it. The writing is incredibly simplified. Like some other reviewers, I found that this book was really insufficient at truly exploring the implications of the existence of the slave ceremony. The book treats slavery as something that just happened, as if it was inevitable and not a big deal. It was simply the lot in life of the slaves to be born slaves and to live and die that way, even the children. The author was hyper-focused on the science of finding information on the dead bodies, without seemingly really wanting to know due to what the truth might reveal. But what's the point in going through all the trouble of finding out about these people and how they lived if we aren't going to actually learn any lessons from it? Ultimately, it seems like they just dug up a bunch of graves and poked and prodded at a bunch of skeletons for the fun of it. Anything to avoid actually confronting our past and what these people experienced and faced.

[Icy_Space_Cobwebs · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEW: FORGOTTEN BONES (UNCOVERING A SLAVE CEMETERY) by Lois Miner Huey

What a wonderfully engrossing book: detailing the discovery, excavation, and subsequent museum lab work of an overlooked slave cemetery in Albany, New York--only the third such unearthed in the North. Author Lois Miner Huey carefully lays out the timeline, from first appearance of a skull, right along through the archeological work and processing in the lab. But she doesn't stop with that: the history of slavery is recounted, and the earlier two Northern excavations are related. The discovery of these graves of slaves on the land that was once the farmholding of New York State's illustrious Schuyler family adds important information to U.S. Colonial history.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slaves in the 'north'? This book will bring this fact to the attention of many who thought slavery only existed in the 'south'. Clear, clean writing explains it and how we learn about it.
Photos, diagrams, and backmatter add to the knowledge base.
The background of each page represents graph paper, an important tool used by archaeologists.
This book will not only expand youngsters' knowledge base, but may get them interested in archaeology.

[Donna Siebold · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really interested when I read the description of this book. And, the book was fine - as far as it went - it turns out it was/is a juvenile book so it isn't what I would consider an in-depth study of the subject, though the information it contains is interesting.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting quick read!

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2022 bk 317. A few years back a town in New York was upgrading their sewer system. To one worker's surprise, they stumbled across a cemetery and not just any cemetery. This one did not appear on any maps, although they identified it as being on Schuyler Farm (late 1700's, early 1800's), This was not the Schuyler Family Cemetery, but rather that of the small group of people enslaved by the Schuyler family. It is so far one of three cemeteries of the enslaved found in the northern United States. Huey does an excellent job of explaining the work of the people called in - from the town authorities / historian, to coroner, to state historical society, and the group of archaeologists and volunteers who carefully charted the 13 graves found along with the remains of those 13 people. Details were so important in identifying smokers, women, children, type of labor performed, and what three parts of Africa or they were from. A facial reconstructionist was called in to recreate the skin and facial features. A fascinating look at what happens when an unknown cemetery is discovered.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating Story of an Archeologist Studying a African-American Graveyard on Schuyler Farm, Albany, NY

The archeologist author, tells her story of excavating an African American graveyard encountered by workers developing an area. It turned out to be a slave graveyard owned by the Schuyler Farm, made famous in a book by a Scottish woman who stayed with the Schuyler family as a child and wrote a book about her experience years later. The archeologists working on the cemetery, carefully excavated the site, did scientific research on them and made reconstructions of their faces. The people were then reburied elsewhere. The research was compared with similar excavations in New York City and Portsmouth, NH. Great information and kids w Will be fascinated with the book.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love when a book gets you to thinking about things you hadn't really considered.

We always associate American slavery to have been in the south, but in this case, I'd say the main focus was to remind you that slavery did exist in the northern states as well.

Aside from that, the book also had some fun tidbits on how archaeological finds are extracted and studied.

It felt fairly complete. I wanted to rate this as a 3 star, but I know that if I had read this as a physical book instead of an ebook, the impact would've been more as intended. (4 stars it is.)

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating.

I loved all the pictures and seeing how much someone can discover from small indications in bone density, facial structure, etc.

This book isn’t an in-depth analysis on slavery in the north.

This book is a scientific explanation of the bones of buried slaves uncovered at a site in New York. Some basic comparisons were made between these burials and other burials discovered nearby. It’s written by an archeologist so expect an archeologists perspective.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A construction crew near Albany, NY was digging up the street and found a skull, leading to the discovery of Philip Schuyler's slaves' cemetery. This is an absolutely fascinating look at how the bioarchaelogists do their job with the bones, how they put together their lives, and what their burials mean. They also explained how their faces could be reconstructed, and showed what they looked like. It was written in a very straightforward way, with a ton of information, and it gave details on the other two Northern slave cemeteries that have been found (in New Hampshire and NYC) and how the bodies and lives of everyone buried in all three were the same and how they differed. There was an amazing amount of info packed in, and in a very accessible way.

I also appreciated how straightforward the language was--Whites banned this, slave owners did that, slaves stayed up longer than their enslavers, etc.

[Ardys · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I put this book on my reading list from the (Beverly Public) library I didn’t notice that it was a kid book. Nonetheless, a worthwhile read about discovery of an enslaved person cemetery outside Albany. Yes, enslaved people north of the Mason Dixon Line. It’s good to see this information presented to kids.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice short read on slave cemeteries. So interesting what we can find out from bones.

[SCAPOD · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Forgotten Bones: Uncovering a Slave Cemetery is a children’s non-fiction book intended for grades 4-8 about the discovery of a slave cemetery in 2005. During the course of a construction project laying sewer lines near Albany, New York, workers uncovered a skull. When it was determined the skull was not from a recent death, archaeologists began investigating the site. Excavations and research revealed it was a small slave cemetery associated with the Schuyler family prior to the 1800s. The book follows the investigation process through initial excavations, research, analysis, reconstruction of lifestyle, and comparison to other northern slave cemeteries.

Overall, I think this book did a wonderful job of presenting the bioarchaeological process in a clear and engaging manner. The images used were sharp and complimented the text well. I especially liked the photos of primary documents used in the historical research (such as list of farm holdings on page), as well as archaeological documentation (multiple sketches of the skeletons in-situ). The details about those who were buried in the cemetery, such as the wear on their teeth revealing how one smoked a pipe and another worked as a seamstress, holding the thread in her mouth, helped bring these people back to life. Giving the enslaved individuals a story - how they lived, worked, played, and ate - helps students relate to the past and see that people were more than just statistics or facts in a history book. The comparison at the end of the Schuyler cemetery to slave cemeteries in New York city and Portsmouth did a good job of highlighting that excavations are not isolated events. It is important to compare the information gathered at one site to others of a similar time or subject matter to get a better view of the entire picture.

I would have liked to see some of the basic archaeological information a little more clearly defined. The tools being used in the excavations were listed, but not how they were used. What was the archaeologist using the screen for in the picture? The drawings of the skeletons were featured, but why was it so important for archaeologists to take so many notes and drawings? Though it may sometimes seem obvious, the emphasis that once a site is dug, it cannot be put back and that information is forever lost if not documented properly is an important point to make. Although there was a glossary at the end of the book, I think it would have been helpful to define a few key words (such as “artifact”) within the text, or have them in bold or italics so readers knew they could find the definition in the glossary.

I was also a little disappointed about the lack of information about local reaction to the discovery. When the slave cemetery was discovered in New York City, it became a big part of the community culture in that area. Were there any potential descendents of those buried in the cemetery still living nearby? What were people’s reaction to this archaeological discovery in their community?

This book is a great resource for those teaching or learning about slavery in the United States. The information given through the analysis of the skeletons, as well as the background research presented in the sidebars would well compliment a class discussion. It also offers a unique perspective - not only of enslaved individuals in the north, but also because of the size of the Schuyler cemetery allows for the stories of individuals to be told.

- Erik

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forgotten Bones Uncovering a Slave Cemetery is a fascinating look at the process of archaeology, anthropology, bioarchiology, forensic anthropology, facial reconstruction, and a treasure-trove of history concerning slavery in the north. Middle graders will warm to the opening story--how construction workers accidentally discovered a skull. Police, CSI, and archaeologists appear at the scene and soon estimate the bone's age at 100 or more years. Stains indicated the site might contain additional graves. Had it been a cemetery? Historical research turned up documents such as deeds and maps, which showed a Schuyler family had owned that patch of ground. They had also owned slaves. Could it be a slave cemetery? That would make it only the third such cemetery discovered in the North, an amazing source history.

Thus begins the slow and careful steps to excavate the graves. The author intersperses bits of history about the era and slavery throughout the scientific protocols, presenting photographs of primary sources along the way. The narrative language makes the complicated procedures easy to understand.

Great for a student interested in history or science and enjoys a bit of gross.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Construction workers discovered a forgotten slave cemetery on what was once the Schuyler Farm in Albany, New York. Archeologists discovered the graves of 14 slaves from the 18th century. From the bones, they were able to find out the ages, sex, diet and place of origin. They were even able to reconstruct what the people might have looked like. Most people don't think about slavery in the North. It did exist, but it a different way than the South. Author Lois Miner Huey does a great job talking about slave life in the North from research conducted on the three slave cemeteries found there. She compares the life of a slave to that of a white person at the same time. This is a very informative text that history and archeology buffs will enjoy.

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley.

[Jen Elwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me explain my 3star review. It applies to the Kindle Paperwhite reading of this book. It was scanned in such a way that it had to be read with the kindle laying sideways and was very difficult to get through due to having to enlarge every passage. It was very informative; however, and I hope to pick up the actual book so that I might make more sense of it.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jam-packed with lots of interesting facts about archaeology and slave life in the north in the 18th century.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the summer of 2005, near Albany, New York, workers on a
sewer project uncovered something fascinating. The metal jaws of
their machinery had been digging, steadily and obliviously, over
the site of a slave cemetery. The project came to a halt while
research was done, and the site was excavated. This would be only
the third slave cemetery to have ever been discovered in the North,
an amazing find!

Thirteen bodies were recovered, taken to a lab for examination,
and their details recorded. This work was done both to learn what
life was like for slaves in the North and also to provide recognition
and dignity to these particular bodies. Some were even brought to
life, in a way, by a facial reconstructionist. It was awesome, yet melancholy, to see the faces of those found. They are not just old bones. They were once real people.

I have just a couple of minor issues. For instance, in a junior nonfiction work, I think the author could have avoided averaging the ages, something which could cause confusion to the reader who doesn't necessarily understand that many of the people lived beyond that age.

Also, as in most nonfiction for children, it bothers me when the pictures interrupt the flow of the story. Place them at the end of a section or chapter...even a paragraph...instead. It's even more pointless for that interruption to be cause by nothing more than an upcoming quote written in a larger font inside a box.

For those who want to learn a bit more, there is a glossary and mention of a book written by a woman who stayed on the old farm in New York when she was a child and her father served in the military. Even though the slaves she spoke of, and named, are most likely different than those found in the cemetery, it was a learning experience to hear first-hand what it was like from her point of view.

For the most part, Forgotten Bones by Lois Miner Huey is an extremely well done book. It broaches a sensitive subject and teaches young readers some important historical lessons.

[Q]

This is the first middle grade I have read since being that age myself. I did not realize this book was one when I decided to read it but figured it would be fun to check out a younger reading level’s nonfiction.

Oh boy.

This book provides an introduction to both archaeology and the history of slavery in the US. I found the archaeology to be well done for a middle grade level but believe that this book drastically downplayed the horrible treatment slaves received. It basically implies that their living conditions were only slightly worse than that of white people of the time. To be fair, this book focuses on slavery in the north which I know significantly less about, so there is a chance conditions for northern slaves were not nearly as bad as for those on plantations in the south, but even with that accounted for, I'm confident this book still does not reflect slavery as it should have.

Initially I wondered if this minimization of their abuse was to reduce traumatizing young readers, but this book is filled with pictures of dead bodies, so probably not. I am concerned that this book is minimizing the wrongdoings of white people. Since this is the first time I have revisited the middle grade genre, I have no references for how information is usually dialed down to younger readers, but I think this book should have been more honest. Nonfictions are trusted to be accurate and this book was heavily misleading. Its intro to archaeology seems strong but the history did not fully reflect what really happened. I believe this book downplayed slavery more than it should have, regardless of the reading level.

I am not giving this book a star rating since I have no references for this age range to compare it to and feel my rating would be unfair.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a bachelors in science, so this a topic that severely interests me. Science mixed with history is something I’m extremely passionate about. unfortunately due to a cognitive difficulty I have struggle comprehending and retaining scientific language. This book was written for people younger than me, but the easy explanations and descriptions it provided allowed me to thoroughly read and enjoy a scientific for the first time in years without struggling through it. Even though it was written like that, it didn’t at all feel patronising.

This book is the definition of short but sweet; the digital version is a mere 60 pages long. It gives us an interesting look into the process of excavating bones, and how to discover the history behind them. It provides a basic look into how these slaves lived; who they were, and helped offer a healthy reminder that these bones were people once. Not only people, but people that suffered greatly during their lives and are often forgotten in the modern day.

Overall, I’d recommend this book to anyone with an interest in archeology or history. Even if you know many of the things in it, which I did, the specific case on the Scholar farm is an interesting read.

[Kaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those who don't know about archaeology, especially for children, this book outlined how archaeologists work and how the past could be dug up and shed light.

In 2005, near Albany, New York, a backhoe worked at a sewer construction found a skull before the lunch break. Kevin Franklin, a town historian of Colonie town, was called and came to see the discovery. Soon after he made calls, the coroner and archaeologists came to investigate the place. The coroner determined the site was not a crime scene. The archaeologists knew if this is a slave cemetery, it would be the third site found in northern states in the United States. Some people think there was no slavery in northern states, but it isn't true. This book also briefly unpacked the history of slavery in northern states and what is remained forgotten, not only depicting the archaeologists' works.

Overall, this book is excellent for kids and the general public interested in archaeological works and the history of the US.

[Diva Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book that is easy enough for middle schoolers to understand about the unearthing of the remains of slaves on the Schuyler Farm in upstate NY. What isn’t mentioned in the book, but if you are a fan of the musical Hamilton, Senator Phillip Schuyler who owned this farm and was the slave owner at the time is the father-in-law of Alexander Hamilton. The book takes the reader through the discovery of the coffins and bones of former slaves and some whites who used to reside on the farm and through the process of identifying the skeletal remains through DNA. It also speaks of moving them to proper burial places. It was a quick and interesting read for all ages and gave an insightful look at slavery and how it not only was centered around the South.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was quite informative but some of the language feels inappropriate post- the BLM movement. I would love to see it updated with anti-racist language. Please note that I am not saying that racist language was used or that the author is racist. I think she did a great job in presenting the material at an appropriate level for kids using the academic conventions of the time. However, we have been updating those conventions and it would be great to have a new edition that includes that. Overall I think this book was probably great when it was released. I liked the information and it’s very child-accessible with bright pictures and a glossary in the back. Can we do better now though? Definitely.

[Swan Creates · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was was interesting but fails to fully grasp the concept of Enslaved People.

The harsh punishments that enslaved people were forced to ensure were barely acknowledged and the main undertone of the book was basically "Slavery was bad, but these bodies were treated better than most slaves, so not all slavery was that bad."

It was never said outright, but the rare times that the punishments enslaved people endured was brought up, it was quickly followed by "but these bodies seemed to have been well fed" or something of that narrative.

I did not learn as much as I would have liked with this book and seemed more like the whitewashing that is a norm in the American Education System.

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this fascinating. The narrative was well-organized and filled with meticulous detail about the work of archaeologist, the history of slavery in the north and the work of museum curation. I loved the design as well. The background was graph paper, which is so important to the field notes an archaeologist makes. Compelling photos abound - at least one per page. Backmatter includes an author's note, two-page glossary, source notes, a selected bibliography, books and websites and places to visit, including the Whitney Plantation.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is aimed at children (young teens, perhaps), but I still found it a good read as an adult. It uses language and a writing style fit for its intended audience, so adults and more accomplished readers may find it a bit simplistic, but it doesn't shy away from giving a detailed factual background to why the individuals were buried in a cemetery that's not marked on any map, past or present. It gives texture to the likely lives the people would have led, and explains why there were so many infants there. Definitely worth a read for adults and children alike.

[Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

short read for the uninformed

This book includes pictures and descriptions of the discovery of a burial ground of slaves, which was determined by archaeological study, to be from the late 1700s. The book was written for those who are not educated in archaeological processes and study. The reader Is told what happens from the discovery of the first bone to the eventual memorialization of 14 bodies discovered during the construction of a sewer line in New York on land that was once owned by the Schuyler family.

[Virginia Van · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written for grade school students, this book gives a clear and interesting account of archaeological work down in Albany, New York after workers digging a new sewer in 2995 stumbled upon a human skull. A team of archaeologists determined the skull was from an African American and they soon realized that they had located a long forgotten slave cemetery, only he third slave cemetery ever to be excavated in the North. Clearly written with good illustrations this basic book gives a useful introduction to the archeology surrounding human remains and the issues of lost graveyards.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for all ages, not just the younger audience it is intended for. I had heard about the lost cemetery in passing but had never looked into it. This book details each step that the excavation crew went through in order to shed light on who these people were and how they lived. They even hired someone to do facial reconstruction so we could see what they probably looked like. For anyone more interested in archaeologists and lost bones, this is a great read.