right next to phillip's grave lays that of james mcewan smith. i was astonished to discover all these men had bought their plots at the same time, between january and may of 1850, determined that not even death would separate them. crossing the path and walking up a hill, i found the land that st. phillips church had bought for its parishioners in the late 1850s. the ray family plot was notable for a tall obelisk that jutted skyward. in the waning days of the 19th century, new york's black elite reunite inside this burial ground. their graves are physical reminders of their lives and commemorations of their deaths. they serve as an archive, a place of safekeeping. a place for storing memories of the past that are simply waiting to be brought back to light and life in the rightness of time. thank you. pleasure. [applause] >> [inaudible] >> thank you for your presentation. >> thank you. >> what did it feel like when you had this aha moment of finding a puzzle piece? and also discovering that you were missing other pieces? in your putting together t