19-03-2025
AARCH Society starts construction on long-awaited Heritage Center
Rose Chaney, a longtime Frederick County resident, was one of the founders of the African American Resources Cultural and Heritage Society.
The AARCH Society aims to identify, preserve and broadcast the history, culture and stories of African American people in Frederick County. It was founded in 2001 and incorporated in 2009 as a nonprofit.
Chaney said William Lee Jr., a former alderman of the city of Frederick who came up with the idea for AARCH, had always wanted a permanent facility focused on the county's African American history, life stories and culture.
David Key, who was AARCH's president from its inception until his death in 2021, also dreamed of creating that space to keep telling African Americans' stories for years to come.
Over 20 years later, that dream is on the way to reality.
AARCH hosted a ceremony Tuesday afternoon, which more than 100 people attended, to celebrate the start of work on its planned African American Heritage Center — which will be the first ever museum dedicated to African American history and culture in Frederick.
Construction of the center actually began several weeks ago on Feb. 24, according to a news release from the society.
The street in front of where the center is being built was filled with lively chatter and upbeat music. Among the attendees were representatives from other nonprofits, Frederick County residents, and elected officials, including U.S. Rep. April McClain Delaney.
Chaney and other AARCH members danced to 'Celebration' by Kool and the Gang.
To see so many people show up to the ceremony to support the Heritage Center — and that this center is so close to being created — is 'more than fantastic,' she said.
AARCH has been working on the Heritage Center for several years. In 2020, it rented out the 3,200-square-foot space of a former cycling studio in the parking garage on East All Saints Street.
The opening of the center has been pushed back several times from 2022 — but the society plans to finally open the center to the public later this year, according to AARCH Society President Olivia White.
White made it a point to thank every person and organization whose time, labor and funding has made the center possible.
She emphasized that without the work of the people who came before her, such as Lee and Key, this building wouldn't be possible.
'We gather on this glorious day to celebrate the renovation of space, but to honor the generations whose stories, struggles and triumphs have laid the foundation for this moment,' she said.
'... This museum will be a living testament to resilience, achievement and the undeniable contributions of African Americans to the rich tapestry of the city and our nation.'
The Heritage Center will include:
Permanent and traveling exhibits showing African American history and culture
A multipurpose theater and meeting space
Research and archival facilities
Oral histories from Frederick County's 'Living Treasures'
The center will spotlight prominent Black families and their lasting impact on the local region.
Currently, the society hosts historic walking tours, keeps a historical archives collection, preserves and restores African American cemeteries, holds family history fairs and conducts educational presentations in schools.
Its archives include documents of Black life and families from Frederick County's history; items from community members; and artifacts from Lincoln High School, the city of Frederick's former segregated high school for Black students.
The society also annually holds a banquet to celebrate Frederick County's 'Living Treasures,' who are African Americans living in the region and at least 90 years old.
Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater said the creation of the Heritage Center is particularly important right now, as the federal government is actively trying to eliminate anything related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Part of that includes removing references to diversity and inclusion — such as information about people from minority communities like Black people, women and LGBTQ+ people — from government web pages.
White echoed Fitzwater's sentiments and said in an interview that because of these actions, 'it makes it even more important that there is a place, there's a resource, where community members and others can come and gather information about untold stories, about those who have made contributions within this community in general.'
She also emphasized that fundraising for AARCH is always an ongoing process, and the nonprofit will continue to seek funds to keep the Heritage Center running and updated after its opening.
During her remarks at the ceremony, White said she saw members of her sorority Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., members of local Rotary clubs, and community servants. Her voice wavered as her eyes welled up with tears.
'I see you, each one of you, and I can't tell you — I am overwhelmed from the bottom of my heart,' she said. 'You all believe in the dream that we share.'
