Welcome to the Orange County African American Historical Society (OCAAHS)

OCAAHS students interview these panelists learning about their challenges through school integration in Orange County Virginia

OCAAHS President Mary Freeman introducing the Juneteenth Guest Speaker Rachel Carlton speaking on "The Importance of African American History for our Youth". A powerful speech!

First public performance of the OCHS African American Club Step Team

The Juneteenth 2025 Opening Ceremony Mistress of Ceremonies Donea Brooks and Lift Every Voice and Sing Performance

The 2025 Juneteenth Celebration in Orange County, Virginia

Mapping and Uncovering African American Heritage in Central Virginia Join us for an illuminating afternoon featuring two groundbreaking research projects exploring African American history in our region. Part 1: African and African-Descended Histories at Germanna Archaeological excavation at Gordon Plantation site Kelly Arford-Horne, Archaeology Site Director, and Jennifer Hurst-Wender, Executive Director of Historic Germanna, will share discoveries about the Gordon family's remarkable journey from enslavement to freedom and their migration to Liberia. Learn about recent archaeological findings that reveal the daily lives of enslaved people at the Gordon Plantation site, and how this research expands our understanding of 19th-century African American experiences in Orange County. Historical document of Gordon family manumission Part 2: Roots to Routes - Black Heritage Across Nine Counties George Monroe Jr., Executive Director of the Montpelier Descendants Committee, together with Dr. Andrea Roberts and her team from the UVA Center for Cultural Landscapes, will present their innovative digital mapping project. Discover how they're documenting historic Black spaces and connecting with descendant families around James Madison's Montpelier. Learn how you can contribute your own family stories to this growing digital archive of Black history.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 19th, 2024 Celebrate the Eclipse Awards Class of 2024 A Physician/Musician, a Nurse, a Radio Disc Jockey, a Church volunteer and historian, an Advocate for our public schools, a Chef, and a Winemaker