The History of the MCAAHA

Madison County was founded in 1792, with people of African descent contributing greatly to the region throughout its history as enslaved workers, laborers, farmers, educators, professionals, and entrepreneurs. The MCAAHA was founded in 2006, after years of deep research by Madison native Nancy Garnett Williams. Interns from James Madison University, Smith College, and Virginia Commonwealth University assisted the staff of the Madison County Circuit Court and the Madison County Library, providing invaluable research, data collection, and documentation regarding wills, marriage licenses, deeds, chancery filings, and other historical material. A collection of family files was established to assist families in their genealogical searches. 

In 2018, MCAAHA partnered with the University of Virginia's Small Special Collections Library to house a collection of memorabilia of the 1880 Grand United Order of Odd Fellows of Madison County. Recently, the MCAAHA and the Madison County Historical Society opened an exhibit of Odd Fellows artifacts at the society's location in the Kemper Residence on Main Street. The display will remain until December 2023. In 2023, MCAAHA established a new board of directors along with a new president, Mesha Jones.