5. Central Park
Central Park’s lush landscapes hide the memory of Seneca Village, a vibrant 19th-century Black community. Before the park’s creation, this neighborhood offered property ownership, schools, and stability to hundreds of Black New Yorkers. In 1857, the city seized and demolished Seneca Village through eminent domain, displacing its residents and erasing their thriving community. The loss left deep scars, both personal and cultural, that are only now being publicly acknowledged. When you stroll through Central Park, remember the lives and dreams uprooted to create its beauty.
