Bill To Preserve Brooklyn's Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument Passes The House Of Representatives
Press Release
On April 28, 2014, the House passed H.R. 1501, the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument Preservation Act via voice vote. The legislation directs the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating Brooklyn's Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument in Fort Greene Park as a National Monument.
During the Revolutionary War, the British maintained approximately sixteen prison ships in the New York Harbor to hold prisoners of war due to limited prison space on land. These prisoners were housed under inhumane conditions. Many died as a result of starvation, disease and lack of medical attention.
"As one of America's largest revolutionary war burial sites and in tribute to the patriots that lost their lives fighting for our nation's independence, this monument deserves to be considered as a unit of the National Park Service," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8). "I look forward to working with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand as this bill now moves to the Senate."
This historic memorial pays homage to American Revolutionary War heroes and patriots who lost their lives fighting for our nation's independence. The Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument was erected in 1908 and sits atop a crypt that contains the remains of 11,500 prisoners of war who died while in British custody after New York City fell to the British in August, 1776. The patriots who lost their lives on those ships represented all thirteen colonies and more than a dozen countries.
During the great depression, the monument as a whole fell into disrepair due to a shortage of funds, neglect, vandalism and lack of public interest. In 2005, as part of a $3 million reconstruction project, which took 18 months, the condition of the monument was somewhat improved. However, there is much more that can be done.
"The story of these brave heroes and the atrocities they suffered has been described as one of the least known accounts of the American Revolution," added Rep. Jeffries. "The prison ship martyrs died so that we might be free. By passing this bill, the House has taken an important step toward recognizing the sacrafices of the patriots whose remains are contained in the crypt in Fort Greene Park."
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