Month: March 2023
History of Lynching in Frederick, MD
March 16, 2023In Frederick County, in 1887 and 1895, three African Americans were lynched, one in Point of Rocks in 1879, and two in Frederick. The purpose of this study is not to examine the history and causes of lynching in the United States. There are numerous books, articles, dissertations, websites and other sources that provide an overall context of lynching. Instead, this research documents the history of lynching in Frederick County, Maryland, relying for the most part on contemporary coverage of the event by newspapers. Click here to read the full 2020 report, “The Mob Fairly Howled:” History of Lynching in Frederick County, Maryland, by Dean Herrin.
AARCH Society In the News
March 11, 2023“Examining the Past” in February’s Frederick Magazine highlights some important African American historical spots in Frederick city and county and AARCH Society’s Guided Historic Walking Tours. Read more and sign up for our tour under Programs & Events!
AARCH Society and the Frederick Downtown Partnership recently co-hosted a brainstorming session for a new restoration and public art project underway for the Seventh Street Fountain at the intersection of N. Market and 7th Streets. Learn more in the Frederick News Post here.
In Memory: Harold Cooper and Ruth Brown
March 11, 2023AARCH Society celebrates lives well lived. Join us as we honor Mr. Harold Cooper, who was featured in “The Tale of the Lion” documentary, and Mrs. Ruth Brown, who appeared in our most recent documentary of Lincoln School, “Back to Our Bygone Days.” 
Harold Cooper was born in 1927 in Jacksonville, Fla., and served in the military until 1947. He was employed at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for 35 years and during that time married Katherine Knight Cooper. In his senior years he moved to Frederick to live closer to family. Mr. Cooper, who would often share his experiences of living in a segregated society, is featured in the opening segment of “The Tale of the Lion.“
Ruth Brown was born in 1929 and in adulthood became affectionately known as Miss Ruthie. She married her high school sweetheart Bernard Brown in 1955 and became an admired classroom teacher, mentor, and
board member of various community organizations. Miss Ruthie was the creator of The Young, Gifted and Black Bernetta R. Brown Dance Troop, named after her only child who died unexpectedly in her late teens. Ruth and her husband both attended the segregated Lincoln School, and they appear together singing the Lincoln School song in the last scene of “Back to Our Bygone Days.”
Celebrating Black History Month 2023
March 11, 2023AARCH Society celebrated Black History Month in Frederick, Md., with great events, tributes, and celebrations of our African American history, culture, and contributions. Here are some highlights!
- All month: Items from the AARCH Society Archival Collection filled the entry hall display cases at C. Burr Artz Library, as well as a timeline of notable African American pioneers and ‘firsts’ in Frederick County.
- All month: Yemi’s African Americans of Excellence exhibit appeared at Gaslight Gallery, featuring important members of Frederick County’s African American community, past and present.
- February 7: Board Member Barbara Thompson presented Held in Regard at Walkersville Library, highlighting little-known historical persons, places, and events in the African American community.
- February 12: AARCH Society re-screened “The Tale of the Lion” documentary at C. Burr Artz Library, featuring interviews with some of Frederick County’s oldest African Americans.
- February 23: AARCH President Protean Gibril spoke at Frederick County’s Black History Month Celebration, Black History in the Making, a Special Ceremony.
- February 26: Jackson Chapel United Methodist Church aired AARCH Society’s “Back to Our Bygone Days,” a new documentary featuring recollections from Lincoln School, Frederick County’s first and only secondary school for African Americans until the end of segregation.
- February 28: AARCH Society Vice President Seaven Gordon participated a Moving Us Forward and Maryland Public Television screening and panel discussion of Ric Burns’ “Driving While Black, Race, Space, and Mobility in America” at the Delaplaine Center.
- 1
- 1-4 of 4 results