Editing General Services Administration (section)

====Ted Weiss Federal Building controversy====
In July 1991, GSA contractors began the excavation of what is now the [[Ted Weiss Federal Building]] in [[New York City]]. The planning for that building did not take into account the possibility of encountering the historic cemetery for colonial-era African New Yorkers located beneath the footprint of the $276 million office building. When initial excavation disturbed burials, destroying skeletons and artifacts, GSA sent [[archaeologist]]s to excavate—but hid their findings from the public. Revelation of the discoveries led to 18 months of activism by African-descendant community members, public officials, academics, and concerned citizens. Ultimately, GSA made public amends by funding extensive scientific research under the auspices of [[Michael Blakey (anthropologist)|Michael Blakey]]; creating a new subagency, the Office of Public Education and Interpretation; truncating the building plan; and funding public reports on the story of the African Burial Ground. The efforts led to the creation of a new unit of the [[National Park Service]], the [[African Burial Ground National Monument]], at the facility. GSA fully funded that portion of the National Park Service<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/101077 | title = The African Burial Ground | publisher = U.S. General Services Administration | access-date = 2013-02-08 | archive-date = 2013-02-20 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130220081113/http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/101077 | url-status = live }}</ref> until 2010, when GSA's formal involvement with the African Burial Ground ceased.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/afbg/ |title=African Burial Ground National Monument New York |publisher=National Park Service |access-date=2012-06-12 |archive-date=2010-08-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100830000216/http://www.nps.gov/afbg |url-status=live }}</ref>