In 1968, African American students at the University of Cincinnati, led by members of the United Black Student Association (formally United Black Association) petitioned the University Board of Trustees and the UC president to commit to making campus more conducive to African American students, faculty and staff.
In 1989, UBSA submitted a proposal stating that African American students wanted to create a more positive environment on campus in which their presence on campus and history would be more accurately represented. During the spring of 1990, the University Board of Trustees requested that the president establish a committee to study the feasibility of implementing a center. As a result of this study, the university's students, staff, the president's office, faculty senate and Board of Trustees and made the commitment and support necessary to open the African American Cultural & Resource Center (African American Cultural and Research Center). Officially, the AACRC opened its doors on September 24, 1991.
On July 1, 2010, the African American Cultural and Resource Center was re-named, the African American Cultural and Resource Center.