Frederick Through the Lens of the African American Experience
For more than 20 years, AARCH Society has been active in Frederick County, creating programs and services that tell of the history, contributions, and extraordinary resiliency of African Americans in Frederick County despite the challenges they face during slavery, the Jim Crow era, and beyond.
You will see AARCH Society members in schools and libraries, at public events, history fairs, conducting walking tours, and participating in civic organizations and religious institutions.
Our Programs and Services
With the support of a dedicated and hard-working corps of volunteers, AARCH Society provides the following programs and services.
Our Committees
Interested in Volunteering?
View AARCH Society Committees and the skills and interests we seek here.
Our CommitteesTo volunteer, please fill out the form in the footer of our website.
AARCH READS
Through lively video recordings of storybook readings, this program promotes reading and literacy and encourages young children and their parent/guardians to celebrate African American culture and address the challenges faced in the past and present. See two of our most recent featured books below.
Cemetery Restoration and Preservation
This program preserves African American legacies and stories by caring for and restoring these sacred sites around Frederick County.
Family History Fairs
These events bring the community together to share the history of families, churches and organizations, and also offer opportunities to research family ancestors and to appreciate the importance of preserving African American history.
Historic Walking Tours
These 60- to 90-minute guided tours bring to life the history and stories of the thriving African American culture, businesses, people, and community leaders living on historic All Saints Street and the surrounding area. See Walking Tours Schedule and Sign Up.
Living Treasures
The Living Treasures Program preserves the stories of African American elders in Frederick County through oral history interviews. Led by the AARCH Society, these interviews are shared with the community each year at a celebratory banquet, honoring the lives and legacies of those who helped shape local history.
Presentations
AARCH Society members are available by request to speak to classrooms, community organizations, academic institutions, and other settings about Frederick County’s African American history, activism, and achievements. To request a speaker, please fill out our speaker request form.