Finding Cornerstone Stories: Uncovering Inspiration in Your Family’s History

What stories in your family history have the power to inspire, connect, and stay with you for generations?

Join author Andre Kearns for a Culture Conversation inspired by his book Finding Cornerstone Stories: Uncovering Inspiration in Your Family’s History. This engaging discussion invites us to look beyond names, dates, and documents to discover the meaningful stories that give family history its heart.

Kearns explores how seemingly ordinary moments, choices, challenges, and accomplishments in our ancestors’ lives can become “cornerstone stories”—stories that reveal resilience, values, courage, creativity, and the experiences that shaped our families. Together, we’ll consider how genealogists and family historians can recognize these stories, uncover them through research, and share them in ways that resonate with family members today.

Whether you are just beginning your family history journey or have years of research behind you, this conversation will offer fresh inspiration for turning your discoveries into stories worth remembering—and passing on.

Read ahead! Order your copy of Finding Cornerstone Stories through Amazon or American Ancestors and start reading ahead of our conversation.

Come ready to explore the stories hiding within your family tree and discover which ones might become your family’s cornerstones.

Join us on Zoom on Wednesday, 28 October at 8pm Eastern for this Culture Conversation webinar.

⮚ Register NOW! ⮘ 

*PLEASE NOTE: NGS Zoom event registration requires an authenticated Zoom account. Each attendee must sign up for this meeting using their existing Zoom account (and the email address used with Zoom) or create a free Basic account with Zoom at zoom.us/pricing.

Culture Conversation with Michael O'Malley Now Posted to NGS YouTube Channel

Check out the recording of our recent Culture Conversation with Michael O'Malley on the NGS YouTube Channel. There's plenty more on the channel as well, including SLAM! Idea Showcase videos and other webinars.

Join our Culture Conversation with Michael O'Malley

NEW DATE!! Join our Culture Conversation with Michael O'Malley, originally planned for Wednesday, 8 October, 2025 at 8:00pm Eastern. Please note we have rescheduled this webinar for 22 October, 2025 at 8:00pm Eastern.

Michael O'Malley is a Professor in the Department of History and Art History at George Mason University, and is the author of The Color of Family: History, Race, and the Politics of Ancestry. 

In The Color of Family, O’Malley teases out the various changes made to citizens’ names and relationships over the years, and how they affected families as they navigated what it meant to be “white,” “colored,” “mixed race,” and more. In the process, he delves into the interplay of genealogy and history, exploring how the documents that establish identity came about, and how private companies like Ancestry.com increasingly supplant state and federal authorities—and not for the better.

In addition to David Morrow, the host of Culture Conversations, O'Malley will be joined by Andre Kearns, a member of the NGS Board of Directors, who is mentioned in the book. 

Register NOW for this live Zoom event!

Culture Conversation with Jari Honora Now Posted to NGS YouTube Channel

 

Culture Conversation with Jari Honora Now Posted to NGS YouTube Channel

 Check out the recording of our recent Culture Conversation with Jari Honora on the NGS YouTube Channel. There's plenty more on the channel as well, including SLAM! Idea Showcase videos and other webinars.

Join Our Culture Conversation with Jari Honora

Join us for a conversation with Jari Honora, a Certified Genealogist®, whose remarkable work uncovering Pope Leo's Creole ancestry has captured national attention and contributes meaningfully to the conversation about identity, race, and heritage in American genealogy.

Jari C. Honora, a Certified Genealogist®, is a New Orleans native & resident and proud Louisiana Creole with roots dating back more than two centuries along Bayou Lafourche and the German-Acadian Coast. He has two decades of experience researching families and institutions in south Louisiana and the Gulf Coast.

He is a graduate of St. Augustine High School and Tulane University. He works as Family Historian in the Williams Research Center of the Historic New Orleans Collection. He previously worked for Le Musée de f.p.c. and taught in local charter schools.

He also does historical and genealogical research professionally, including work for the TV programs Finding Your Roots and We’ll Meet Again, and the Georgetown Memory Project. He has presented at numerous historical and genealogical conferences including the International Black Genealogy Summit; American Educational Research Association; Southern Historical Association; Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society (AAHGS); and the Canadian Society for Eighteenth Century Studies.

As one of four contributors to the CreoleGen blog, he regularly shares research findings on Louisiana Creole people and institutions. He also has a strong interest in the history of fraternal orders and benevolent societies and in the Black Catholic experience. He loves his homeland of Louisiana and is enthralled by her good people, good food, good music, and unique Creole heritage.

There is no cost to attend, but you must have an account with Zoom (including the free version) to register.

9 July 2025 | 8:00pm Eastern

Registration

Culture Conversation with Ashlee Davis Now Posted to NGS YouTube Channel

Check out the recording of our recent Culture Conversation with Ashlee Davis on the NGS YouTube Channel. There's plenty more on the channel as well, including SLAM! Idea Showcase videos and other webinars.

Join our Culture Conversation with Ashlee Davis, Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Ancestry

Join us for a captivating conversation on the Power of Conversations To Tell the Stories That Unite Us with Ashlee Davis, Ancestry's Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Ashlee Davis, J.D. brings 15 years of diversity and civil rights experience to lead Ancestry’s global end-to-end Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) strategy. Her professional experience spans the industries of private, nonprofit, and the Executive branch of the federal government, where she held roles in agriculture, finance, banking, and social services. Ashlee served six years in the Obama administration in positions including the Senior Advisor for Civil Rights and Director of the National LGBT Rural Summer Series, a national initiative to connect LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities with resources to address food insecurity, housing, and youth empowerment.   

In her role, Ashlee heads policies and programs to foster an inclusive and equitable work environment where there are diverse voices and backgrounds at the table. She also partners with product and marketing leaders to create inclusive product experiences to help everyone easily discover, craft and connect around their family story.

Ashlee is a native of Nashville, TN, a proud graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and Howard University School of Law, an avid sports fan, and someone with wanderlust who is always planning her next adventure with her life partner.

23 October 2024 8:00 p.m. ET

Registration

Culture Conversation with Megan Smolenyak and Lisa Fanning's MemberConnects! Panel Now Posted to NGS YouTube Channel

 
Check out the recordings of our recent Culture Conversation with Megan Smolenyak and our MemberConnects! event with Lisa Fanning, Alison Wilde, Tristan Tolman, Kathey Williams, Tynan Peterson, and Rhone Kevorkian on the NGS YouTube Channel. There's plenty more on the channel as well, including SLAM! Idea Showcase videos and other webinars.

Join our Culture Conversation with Megan Smolenyak, A Genealogical Adventurer and Storyteller Solving Mysteries!

Join us for a captivating conversation with Megan Smolenyak, a renowned genealogical adventurer, storyteller, and expert in pushing the boundaries of conventional genealogy.

Megan Smolenyak is a name that resonates across the genealogical community. As a popular writer, speaker, and TV guest, her expertise has been featured on prestigious shows like Good Morning America, the Today Show, CNN, and the BBC. Megan's passion for solving mysteries and making unexpected discoveries has taken her on remarkable adventures that have reshaped history and provided invaluable insights into the backgrounds of notable individuals.

Megan's expertise has led her to unravel fascinating stories and genealogical mysteries. From tracing Michelle Obama's roots showcased on The New York Times' front page, to revealing the true Annie Moore, the first immigrant through Ellis Island, Megan's discoveries have captivated the world. Learn about her incredible journey in correcting history and unraveling the roots of notable individuals like Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and many more.

Megan's work isn't limited to historical figures. She has delved into the ancestry of well-known celebrities, shedding light on their roots and fascinating connections. From Martha Stewart to Lin-Manuel Miranda, Katy Perry to Prince, Megan's expertise has uncovered surprising genealogical links that demonstrate how we are all connected in unexpected ways.

22 May 2024 8:00 p.m. ET

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Join us for an exciting exploration of the world of genealogy with Megan Smolenyak. Don't miss out on this chance to witness her passion, uncover hidden stories, and learn from a true expert in the field. Spaces are limited, so be sure to secure your spot now!