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 Committees

To 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

Each year, AARCH Society celebrates our “Living Treasures”—African Americans aged 90 years and older, on whose shoulders we stand—at a banquet. In 2018, the documentary “The Tale of the Lion” captured many of their stories on film and premiered at Frederick’s Weinberg Arts Center.

School Presentations

AARCH Society members are available by request to speak to classrooms about Frederick County’s African American history, activism, and achievements.