Updated: Mar. 12, 2026, 11:19 a.m. | Published: Mar. 11, 2026, 5:50 a.m.
Sandy Ground is the nation’s oldest free Black settlement continuously inhabited by descendants. Advance Local Express Desk
EDITOR’S NOTE
This story is part of an ongoing journalistic initiative to rally the community and the country around a critical, but endangered, historical site: Sandy Ground, the nation’s oldest free Black settlement still inhabited by descendants of its pioneers.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Glenda Laboard, 72, recalls the day her parents told her she was leaving her close-knit Rossville community, where her family had lived for decades, and moving to the Mariners Harbor Houses on the other side of the Island.
At just 6 years old, she knew she was leaving a special place and feared what life would be like in a new community.
“I expected the worst. I was afraid and angry, and I didn’t want to leave the little village that was my home,” Laboard said.
That village was Sandy Ground — the oldest continuously inhabited free Black community in the United States by descendants of its original settlers.
“Growing up in Sandy Ground was like growing up in the South. As kids, we ran around with no shoes on. … The only thing that sent us in the house was the giant mosquitoes. They were giant because it was all swamp. I remember we all played all day long,” she said.
For many attendees, the celebration was also a chance to reflect on childhood memories and reconnect with relatives they may not see often.
“Family and Friends Day has had a profound impact on the descendants of Rossville AME Zion Church. I remember looking forward to seeing family members who I haven’t seen in months and playing games with everyone,” Yvette Taylor-Jordan, a Sandy Ground descendant, told the Advance/SILive.com in an earlier interview.
Ralph Cooper, a Sandy Ground descendant, watched children enjoying the festivities and was reminded of his own childhood.
“Those kids out there, they were us back in the day,” Cooper said. “That’s what we did on Family Day. That yard was full. I ain’t seen this crowd up here in a long time, but that was us 60 years ago, 65 years ago. That was us having a good time.”
Darren Ganzy, a Sandy Ground descendant, said Family and Friends Day has been a constant throughout his life.
“I just turned 57, so Family Day is one year older than me,” said Ganzy. “I remember all the families being in here. The church was always crowded.”
While Sunday’s gathering celebrated the past, church members also highlighted the importance of preserving the historic property for future generations.
Rossville AME Zion Church is currently seeking support for several restoration and preservation projects.
Planned improvements include replacing unsafe rear steps, repairing the deteriorating facade, and upgrading aging interior features. The congregation also hopes to install an elevator for better accessibility and restore the historic Baymen’s Cottages as educational spaces
Additional work is needed to clear overgrown vegetation, remove hazardous trees and maintain the church cemetery so it remains safe and accessible for visiting families.
Donations supporting the church’s preservation and restoration efforts were accepted during the event. Those still wishing to contribute can visit rossvilleamezionny.org/giving and select “other,” then note “preservation and restoration” in the donation designation.
For more information, visit www.rossvilleamezionny.org.
More Sandy Ground Coverage
- This Staten Island church is hosting its 58th annual Family and Friends Days celebration Sunday
- She was forced to leave the Staten Island ‘village’ she loved. Now her daughter is fighting to preserve its history
- ‘They treated me like family’: A historic Staten Island church offers more than faith—it offers belonging
- She grew up in a Staten Island community built on freedom — and at 102, she’s still telling the story
- A nearly 200‑year‑old Staten Island community is calling on the public to help save it