$162K Grant for Archival Digitization

Sens. Ben Cardin, Chris Van Hollen Secured Funds 

FREDERICK, MD –   The African American Resources, Cultural and Heritage Society (AARCH Society) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded direct federal funding to support its efforts to provide community, national, and global access to 200 years of African American history in Frederick and Frederick County through digital and virtual content.

Society will receive $162,000, requested and secured by U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-Md.), through the fiscal year 2024 Omnibus Spending bill passed by Congress to digitize portions of its historical collection for public access and engagement.

Empowering future generations 

“Preserving and digitizing cultural objects and materials is a key objective of our Collections Management plan,” says Cheryl Renée Gooch, Executive Director of the AARCH Society. “Working with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) on this project, AARCH Society will encourage public engagement by making this material available online. By sharing the intriguing history of African American life and history in Frederick County from the early and colonial periods to the present, we are fulfilling a central part of our mission to educate and empower current and future generations about our shared history.”

“Maryland is at the center of so much of America’s history, and it’s critical that we share the stories of our past to learn the valuable lessons they hold and honor the contributions of Marylanders. We secured this funding so that the AARCH Society can now digitize its records and publish them online, making Frederick County’s deep African American history and culture accessible to all and preserving them for generations to come,” said Senator Van Hollen, a member of the Appropriations Committee.

Frederick, MD, African American Heritage Center

The AARCH Society was incorporated in 2009. It is currently securing funding for The African American Heritage Center at 125 All Saint’s Street in Frederick, Md., which is slated to open in 2025. The 3,200 square feet museum will house the core exhibit “Our Journey, Our Stories” reflecting the life and history of African Americans in Frederick County.

When the Frederick African American Heritage Center opens, visitors of all ages from around the region and nation will enter a dynamic hub of activity that tells the compelling stories and history of African Americans in Frederick County.

Here, you can undertake research, learn about and experience cultural objects highlighted through permanent and changing exhibitions, as well as educational and multidisciplinary programs that enrich and transform. Learn more about the AARCH Society Heritage Center here.