our HISTORY

The Creation of AAHGS

In the spring of 2000, a small group of people with various personal and professional connections to Surry County met at the home of Dr. Evelyn Thompson in Mount Airy, North Carolina. They discussed their concerns about the status of African American history in the community. At the suggestion of Winnie Merritt, the need to organize a formal group was discussed and approved. The African American Historical & Genealogical Society (AAHGS) came into existence.

Community Involvement

Since its founding, AAHGS has participated in a wide variety of historical projects including recording oral histories, publishing family stories, acquiring historic sites, locating African American cemeteries, coordinating programs with local museums and art organizations, and sponsoring celebrations of Black history and culture.

AAHGS’s community partners have included Surry Community College, the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History, the Surry Arts Council, the Mount Airy Public Library, and the Yadkin Valley Economic Development District, Inc. (YVEDDI).