Home Oral Histories Mandingo Osceola Tshaka and Robbie Garrison Oral History

Mandingo Osceola Tshaka and Robbie Garrison Oral History

Mandingo Osceola Tshaka and Robbie Garrison are, respectively, president and vice president of the Olde Towne of Flushing Burial Ground Conservancy. In this interview, they tell of their long struggle to shed light on the history of the Martins Field playground as a burial ground for African-American and Native American residents of the Flushing area, and to have the site rededicated as hallowed ground. Tshaka and Garrison discuss the difficulties they've encountered, successes achieved thus far, and the ongoing goals of the Conservancy for the site.