Historical Society Museum

York’s African American Experience

The African American Historical Preservation Society (AAHPS) is a newly formed group dedicated to collecting, preserving and propagating information related to the African American experience in York, Pennsylvania. Society member Jeff Kirkland will present an overview of the groups’ work in documenting the local African American experience from the late 1700s until the mid to late 1900s….from the arrival of the first manumitted slaves, the strong abolitionist movement and the Underground Railroad, to present day educators, entrepreneurs and community leaders. The hope of the AAHPS is to provide a sense of identity and motivation to members of our community, especially the youth, so that they might understand and appreciate our significant contributions to the building of this historic region…..as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “ We are not Makers of History….We are Made by History.”