Directs the commissioner of the office of general services to erect a monument to be known as the "New York state African slavery and freedom memorial" in the Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza to memorialize victims of the African Holocaust, the Holocaust of Enslavement, the Black Holocaust, or the enslavement of Black people and to celebrate the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights for all people.
S08300 would direct the commissioner of the Office of General Services to erect a monument at the Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza in Albany to be known as the "New York state African slavery and freedom memorial." The memorial would honor the victims of slavery and the enslavement of Black people, using language that references the African Holocaust, the Holocaust of Enslavement, and the Black Holocaust.
The bill states that the monument should also educate the public about the history of slavery, racism, and other harms against Black people in New York State, while celebrating the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights. It further requires the commissioner to solicit proposals and suggestions from organizations regarding the memorial’s design, programming, and location. The measure takes effect immediately.
If enacted, the bill would add a state-authorized memorial project at Empire State Plaza and assign responsibility to the Office of General Services to plan and erect the monument. It would not amend criminal, civil, or regulatory statutes directly, but it would create a new state obligation related to public commemorative infrastructure and likely involve state resources, site planning, and consultation with outside organizations. The bill would affect OGS, potential design partners, and the public use of the plaza as a state civic space.
The available record shows no committee transcript or vote history, so there is no documented debate or recorded opposition in the materials provided. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be framed positively and commemoratively, with an emphasis on remembrance, education, and public values. The overall sentiment in the text is supportive and aspirational rather than contentious.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials because there are no committee transcripts or votes. Potential areas of disagreement, if raised in later discussion, could include the memorial’s wording, historical framing, location at Empire State Plaza, design authority, or the use of state funds and public space. However, none of those issues are reflected in the current record.