Founded in August 1987, by the late Mrs. Wylene Burch, the Howard County Center of African American Center houses a collection of over 1,000 artifacts and murals representing African American life in rural Howard County in the early 1900s and memorabilia depicting images of African Americans over the last 200 years.
The HCCAAC Research Library and Archives is committed to identifying expanding and preserving collections that offer students faculty staff and the general public the unique opportunity to appreciate, learn and research the rich history of African Americans. The HCCAAC Research Library and Archives, with over 10,000 books, archival center, extensive vertical file, and non-print media contributes to the educational cultural and research goals set forth by Howard community College.
A new area of the archives that will be dedicated to housing materials relevant to slavery, the Underground Railroad, Reconstruction and native Howard County family and genealogical records is being planned. The Research Library and Archives are located at Howard Community College in the James Clark, Jr. Library Building on the second floor.