AARCH Society

The historical legacy of Watch Night

The Historical Legacy of Watch Night Watch Night or “Freedom's Eve,” marks when African Americans across the country watched and waited for the Emancipation Proclamation to take effect. Today, Watch Night service encourages reflection on the history of slavery and the previous year.

AARCH Society celebrates Kwanzaa, a week-long celebration of African-American culture and heritage that is observed from December 26 to January 1. It was created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, a professor of Africana studies, to honor the seven principles of unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.

Big, big thanks to Michael O'Connor, Mayor of Frederick for this spirited reading of "A Door for Me" as part of our AARCH Reads program! AARCH Reads promote childhood literacy and celebrates culture and resiliency! Learn more about us at aarchsociety.org.

AARCH Reads: "A Door for Me" by Tyler Merritt Frederick, MD, Mayor Michael O'Connor reads "A Door for Me" by Tyler Merritt from his office in City Hall. This children's book sensitively handles a young b...

AARCH Society welcomes Cindy Taylor and Marcus Allen to our Board of Directors!

AARCH Society extends thanks to the Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. for this grant to support development of the forthcoming Heritage Center that will house the “Our Journey, Our Stories” core exhibit highlighting African American life and history in Frederick County, and our shared history as Marylanders and Americans.

Thank you Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. Chairman George B. Delaplaine, Jr. and President Marlene Young for taking time to share this happy moment with AARCH Society Board President Protean Gibril and Executive Director Dr. Cheryl Renee Gooch.

Don't miss archaeologist and former historian Jenny Masur for this book talk Dec. 10 at C. Burr Artz Public Library

Join us at Lincoln Elementary School for Frederick's Museums By Candlelight on December 9! Viewings at 1, 2, 3, and 4 PM. AARCH Reads will be giving children's book readings, too!

Back to Our By-Gone Days: The Lincoln School (Trailer) In this documentary supported by funding through Maryland Humanities, former students discuss life at Lincoln School, Frederick County, MD's first and only s...

What a wonderful night partnering with Jack and Jill of America, Inc. - Western MD Chapter. Read the recap and see photos from a night of festivity for two great causes!

Unity Ball Turns Mission Into Gala Event AARCH Society and the Jack and Jill of America Foundation Western Maryland Chapter came together in Frederick, Md., on October 28 for a mission-inspired gala event. See photos by Epic…

More than 400 Frederick County men served as members of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) during the Civil War to reunify the United States of America.

Poet Paul Laurence Dunbar’s 1895 tribute to the more than 200,000 United States Colored Troops:

If the muse were mine to tempt it
And my feeble voice were strong,
If my tongue were trained to measures,
I would sing a stirring song.
I would sing a song heroic
Of those noble sons of Ham,
Of the gallant colored soldiers
Who fought for Uncle Sam!
In the early days you scorned them,
And with many a flip and flout
Said "These battles are the white man's,
And the whites will fight them out."
Up the hills you fought and faltered,
In the vales you strove and bled,
While your ears still heard the thunder
Of the foes' advancing tread.
Then distress fell on the nation,
And the flag was drooping low;
Should the dust pollute your banner?
No! the nation shouted, No!
So when War, in savage triumph,
Spread abroad his funeral pall—
Then you called the colored soldiers,
And they answered to your call.
Ah, they rallied to the standard
To uphold it by their might;
None were stronger in the labors,
None were braver in the fight.
From the blazing breach of Wagner
To the plains of Olustee,
They were foremost in the fight
Of the battles of the free.
And at Pillow! God have mercy
On the deeds committed there,
And the souls of those poor victims
Sent to Thee without a prayer.
Let the fulness of Thy pity
O'er the hot wrought spirits sway
Of the gallant colored soldiers
Who fell fighting on that day!
And their deeds shall find a record
In the registry of Fame;
For their blood has cleansed completely
Every blot of Slavery's shame.
So all honor and all glory
To those noble sons of Ham—
The gallant colored soldiers
Who fought for Uncle Sam!
Read full poem at https://poets.org/poem/colored-soldiers

Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. President Marlene B. Young with AARCH Society Executive Director Dr. Cheryl Gooch and Board President Protean Gibril in discussions on the progress of the AARCH Heritage Center and the organization's strategic plan for moving forward. It's an exciting time under strong leadership of this organization that's dedicated to preserving and sharing the artifacts, timeless stories and rich history and heritage of African Americans in Frederick County. Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. is proud to support this mission in alignment with the historical preservation portion of our own mission and we join the rest of the community in eager anticipation of the grand opening of the AARCH Heritage Center!

The Long Road to Emancipation - November 1, 1864

On November 1, 1864, a new Maryland constitution went into effect, ending slavery in the state following a statewide referendum held weeks earlier on October 12-13, 1864.

In the City of Frederick, residents voted at the Frederick County Courthouse (Frederick City Hall today) and supported the new constitution by a vote 735 to 441.

Though the vote held across Maryland in the autumn of 1864 abolished slavery in the state, the fight for equality and citizenship for 3,000 newly freed people in Frederick County was far from finished.

Learn more of the story by visiting the recently refurbished Civil War Trails, Inc. sign in City Hall Park or by clicking 👇
https://www.visitfrederick.org/things-to-do/history-museums/black-history-culture/

Unity for Education

Colleagues and friends turned out en masse to support our signature Unity Ball fundraiser

Our Unity Ball is Saturday! Thank you to our generous sponsors - and get your ticket today!

"The next time you come across a historic marker, read it with a curious mind and ask what history may be unrepresented and, perhaps, yet to be discovered." Gabrielle McCoy, history PhD student at the University of South Carolina

The Ross House Slave Quarters Notley Brown and Suck were two of the people enslaved at Ross House in Frederick, Maryland, the site of the only known remaining slave quarters in the city.

Walking our shared history. AARCHSocietyED

Members of the AARCH Society leadership team presented to The Frederick Art Club yesterday about our Heritage Center plan and permanent exhibition theme "Our Journey, Our Stories." (AARCH Society President Protean Gibril; AARCHSocietyED Cheryl Renee Gooch; Board Member Rose Chaney; Artist and Scholar Debra Jean Ambush)

Our Unity Ball is next Saturday! Thank you to our generous sponsors - and get your ticket today!

October's a beautiful time for ! Sign up for the last one this season! Experience the vibrant culture of 's historic corridor.

Historic Walking Tours An Incredible Learning Experience Awaits You African American History Walking Tours in Frederick, MD AARCH Society Walking Tours Schedule Tours start at the AARCH Heritage Center, 125 East All Saints…

Get your tix for fun! Help us build the Heritage Center in 2024 and support scholarships through and Jill of America, Inc. - Western MD Chapter!

Unity Ball 2023 2023 Unity Ball – October 28 Honoring Our Past, Investing in Our Future Join the African American Resources Cultural and Heritage (AARCH) Society and Jack and Jill of America, Inc.,…

Two Saturdays from today! Get your tix to help us open the Heritage Center in 2024 and support scholarships through and Jill of America, Inc. - Western MD Chapter!

Unity Ball 2023 2023 Unity Ball – October 28 Honoring Our Past, Investing in Our Future Join the African American Resources Cultural and Heritage (AARCH) Society and Jack and Jill of America, Inc.,…