When the remains of hundreds of colonial era Africans were uncovered during a building excavation in Lower Manhattan in 1991, one coffin in particular stood out. Nailed into its wooden lid were iron tacks, 51 of which formed an enigmatic, heart-shaped design. The pattern was soon identified as the sankofa, a symbol printed on funereal garments in West Africa and it captured the imagination of scholars, preservationists and designers. Ultimately, it was embraced by many African Americans as a remarkable example of the survival of African customs in the face of violent subjugation in early America.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/arts/design/27sankofa.html?scp=10&sq=west+africa&st=nyt
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