To kick off Black History month, the African American Heritage Society will be hosting its 23rd Annual “Black Tie Affair” on Saturday, February 3, 2024. It will be held at the Embassy Suites in Franklin beginning at 6:00pm. This annual fundraiser supports the AAHS, the McLemore House Museum and now the organization’s newest preservation project, the Merrill-Williams House.
This Black-Tie gala generally has a sellout crowd with over 700 guests in attendance. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at www.aahswc.org. The AAHS appreciates the support of the community and is still in need of donations to support the mission of the AAHS; which is to chronicle the lives and contributions that African Americans have made and to preserve and protect the African American Heritage and history in our community. This year’s theme is “A Royal Courtship – Telling the African American Story”. Music will be provided by Julius Fisher and the Genius Band.
The organization will be presenting annual awards in the following categories: Business, Civic, Communication, Education, and Religion by recognizing individuals and organizations who have made contributions to the Williamson County community. Honorees’ names are not publicized before the night of the event.
This year the Sol House Family has been selected as the 2023 Pioneer Family. This honor and designation are bestowed to families in Williamson County whose roots can be traced back to 1850 or earlier with Williamson County historical records. This recognition is very special and was initiated by the Williamson County Public Library many years ago. Over 20 African American pioneer families have been honored at the AAHS’s annual Black Tie due to the work and collaboration of Thelma Battle and the library. The public will have the opportunity to meet some of the family at a reception being held at the Williamson County Public Library at 1314 Columbia Avenue in Franklin on Sunday, February 5, 2024, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.
The African American Heritage Society would like to thank the community for their amazing support in the many efforts being made to protect and preserve our rich African American history in Williamson County. The AAHS is a 501c (3) organization; donations are tax-deductible and may be made online at www.aahswc.org. To donate through mail, checks should be made payable to the African American Heritage Society and sent to P. O. Box 681016, Franklin, TN 37068.
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