Who We Are
Bicentennial for NY’s “Freedom” 1827-2027
Join Us
Our $200,000 Goal: Invest in the Story.
Sustain the Work. We’re raising $200,000 to help sustain and expand Black Footprints NYC, Inc. as we preserve, share, and bring New York’s untold stories to life through arts, culture and education.
Bicentennial “Freedom” Calendar 2027 Snapshot
Lisa Burriss | Founder, Bloodline Ambassador, Herstorian
Lisa Burriss is a proud native New Yorker, born and raised on the Lower East Side: descendant of enslaved Africans, licensed sightseeing tour guide, and certified professional with a lifelong passion for history, storytelling, and community engagement. As the founder and creator of Black Footprints NYC, she is guided by the African proverb Sankofa—the principle of looking to the past to inform the present and future.
Through her work as a Bloodline Ambassador and Her-storian, Lisa is dedicated to uncovering and amplifying the untold stories, voices, and experiences that have shaped New York and the nation. Her work is deeply personal: she is not simply interpreting history—she is following the footprints of her own ancestors and creating space for descendant voices to be heard, recognized, and remembered.
As New York approaches 200 years since emancipation in 1827, Lisa's vision is to ensure that this history is not simply commemorated, but meaningfully explored through descendant-centered storytelling, education, and public engagement.
Founder
of Black Footprints NYC, a historical society and preservation organization dedicated to uncovering, preserving, and sharing the untold Black experience within New York and American history through education, research, and public engagement.
Her-storian
historical interpreter, and educator who connects people to the untold Black experience within New York and American history through storytelling, research, and immersive learning experiences.
Bloodline Ambassador™
Creator of the approach—a descendant-centered methodology that reconnects people to history through ancestral perspective, place-based storytelling, and historical interpretation.