How do Americans show respect for the bodies and memories of the deceased? Objective 1. Explain how and why African cultures are present in American culture; 2. Describe the African Burial Ground and archeological evidence found there; 3. Identify ways people memorialized the dead at the “Negros Buriel Ground” in colonial New York and ways people memorialized the African Burial Ground National Monument; 4. Complete an optional project about the Middle Passage, local history, or family heritage Background Time Period: 17th and 18th Century Colonial Era, contemporary era. Topics/Themes: This les Duration: 60 Minutes.