About this Sacred Place
The ACDS is a nonprofit organization that directs redevelopment efforts in Anne Arundel County. The Wiley H. Bates Memorial Courtyard is part of the overall Wiley H. Bates Redevelopment Project, which is restoring historic Wiley H. Bates High School, the only high school for African-American youth in Anne Arundel County from 1932 to 1965. The school has been redeveloped into a vibrant community center with affordable senior housing and a senior center, a Boys & Girls Club and Memorial Courtyard grounds. The courtyard is the central focal point for the community complex, the primary entryway into the museum exhibit space dedicated to honoring the legacy of Wiley H. Bates and a place for visitors and alumni to meditate and reflect upon memories of Bates High School.
