African American History & Heritage
Learn more about African American history in Anne Arundel County!
A review of Anne Arundel County's Inventory of Historic Properties was undertaken in 2017, which found that only around 7% of the Inventory were documented as having an African American component. This disparity between our Inventory, the tool that allows for preservation during the development process, and the breadth of contributions to the County's history by African Americans was striking and warranted a response to ensure fairer representation and diversity in support of the County's historic preservation efforts.
Over the past 6 years, OPZ has sought out and supported projects that will help ensure that our Inventory of Historic Properties is better reflective of the County's rich and multi-cultural heritage. Below are a few of the resulting projects and some useful research tools and resources that we hope will help citizens explore and discover African American heritage in Anne Arundel County, MD.
The Civil Rights Era
African American Heritage Trail
Historic Markers
Historic Cemeteries
Historic Housing
Historic Sites
Middle Passage Ceremonies & Port Marker Project
African American Foodways
Other Research Tools and Resources
- Maryland State Archives: Legacy of Slavery in Maryland
- A Guide to the History of Slavery in Maryland
- The Banneker-Douglass Museum
- The Frederick Douglass Museum
- North Arundel Cultural Preservation Society
- Underground Railroad Research and the Network to Freedom
- The Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture
- Maryland African American Heritage Preservation Program
- Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission
- Columbia Beach
- Highland Beach
- Joan Gaither's Quilts
- Anne Arundel County's Cultural Resources Section
