Exploring Race and Religion in Frederick, MD

Join AARCH Society members and historians Joan Thomas and Sarah Heald on February 23rd at the Myersville branch of Frederick County Public Libraries for “The Story of Two Churches: Moving from the Past, Building a Better Future.” This event is free but donations are appreciated.

This AARCH Society documentary explores the shared history of two of Frederick’s oldest churches, an African American church, Asbury United Methodist, and a white church, All Saints’ Episcopal. After looking at the period of enslavement and emancipation, the film looks at more recent history and how the two congregations have worked together in the last decade. The documentary ends with interviews of people who have taken part in community conversations, conveying a message of hope for race relations today. We will give a brief introduction, show the 30-minute documentary, and then have discussion and answer questions.

• Joan D. Thomas is a Program Analyst currently employed with USAMMDA at Ft. Detrick. Joan joined AARCH in 2015 to deepen her knowledge of Frederick County’s African American history and to support her mother who was an AARCH Society Living Treasure. She and her family are 5th-generation Fredericktonians and have spent many years researching their family history. Joan is a member of Asbury United Methodist Church and was interviewed for this documentary. Joan has her B.S. in Human Services and is a member of the AARCH Research Committee.
• Sarah H. Heald is a retired National Park Service historian, curator, and exhibits planner. She has a MA in American History and has been a member of AARCH Society since 2013. She has worked on a varietyof AARCH Society projects and has been a member of the Education Committee since 2018. She is also a member of All Saints’ Episcopal Church and was on the team that made this documentary in 2021-22.