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.