Month: May 2024

AARCH Society is pleased to announce that it has been approved for a $50,000 reparations grant from the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland.

We are honored to be one of five organizations that met the criteria for the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland’s Reparations Program, which supports organizations and programs that have a proven history of restoring and building up Black and African American communities. Recipients will be honored in an Awards Ceremony at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Baltimore, Md., on Saturday, May 18th.

Reparations Grant Project

Aligned to The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland Reparations Fund Grant goals of reconciliation and consciously historical education, the “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean” project will provide engaging programs to the local and regional community about Frederick County’s African American cemeteries through initiatives that will become an embedded part of AARCH Society’s educational outreach:

• The Heritage Center permanent exhibit will feature the evolution and historical context of African American cemeteries and burials in Frederick City and county.
• Pop-up and travelling exhibits will engage diverse audiences about known and still being discovered cemeteries and efforts to preserve them.
• A Virtual/Interactive Exhibit on the AARCH Society website will feature illustrated and interchangeable displays, essays about African American cemeteries, including interviews with descendants and diverse stakeholders about preservation efforts, and equally important, the human stories and histories associated with these sacred places. An interactive Story Map will engage and educate users/visitors.

We are extremely grateful to the Episcopal Diocese for this support of AARCH Society’s work to celebrate, educate, and enlighten current and future generations on the rich contributions and history of African Americans in Frederick County, Maryland.

Spring 2024 Grants for AARCH Society

The African American Resources, Cultural and Heritage Society (AARCH Society) is honored to announce three grants in 2024 that support our mission to educate, enlighten, and enrich current and future generations on the rich contributions of Frederick County’s African Americans.

Omnibus Spending Bill Grant

AARCH Society has received grant funding from the federal government to support efforts to provide community, national and global access to 200 years of African American life in Frederick County, Md., through digitizing portions of our historical collection. We are grateful for the support of Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) who supported the award of $162,000 through the fiscal year 2024 Omnibus Spending bill. Learn more here.

Reparations Grant

AARCH Society has secured a 2024 grant for $50,000 from the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland’s Reparations Program. We are honored to be one of five organizations chosen as this year’s recipients. The program is open to applicants within the Diocese’s region of service that “have a proven history of doing the work of restoring African American and Black communities.” Learn more here.

Equity and Inclusion Splash Grant

The City of Frederick has awarded AARCH Society $30,000 to support virtual exhibits and displays about civil rights and activism. These funds will support the AARCH Society’s plans and installations at the African American Heritage Center slated to open in 2025 at 125 All Saint’s Street in the historic district of Frederick, Md. The City of Frederick is a valued partner of the AARCH Society, and we are deeply appreciative of the numerous ways they have supported our Heritage Center efforts.

FirstEnergy Foundation Grant

AARCH Society was awarded $10,000 from the FirstEnergy Foundation. These grant funds support education initiatives and local and regional economic development in Frederick County, Md., including tourism. The Foundation’s vision is to invest in transformative organizations that enhance the vitality, sustainability and diversity of the communities it serves. AARCH Society is grateful for FirstEnergy Foundation’s continued support of our work to celebrate and educate others on the diverse cultures that have contributed to Frederick, Md., through the centuries.

Grants are an important way that AARCH Society is working toward opening the African American Heritage Center, Frederick County’s first museum and educational center dedicated to the history and contributions made by Black citizens of Frederick County, MD.