17 October 2024
Family History Month Jumpstart: Get to Know the Records
10 October 2024
Grouper Returned Over $22,000 to NGS Members with Medicare Plans
We recently heard from the team at Grouper that over 260 members (over the age of 65 who have Medicare Advantage or Benefit plans) received dues reimbursement checks returning over $22,000 to our members.
If you or someone you know if 65 and over, have them check out how to have their NGS dues reimbursed at https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/grouper-covers-your-dues/.
03 October 2024
October is Family History Month
The fall is a perfect time of year to begin or expand your family history research. We've added new and updated free Family History Month resources for individuals and organizations.
Look for refreshed PDFs on how you can record, scan, write, and share your family
stories. Use them to ease into your own projects or as a resource your genealogy
organization can share to inspire more people to begin or restart their family history
journey. This year we also included a new PDFs on joining and participating in NGS and other genealogy societies and organizations.
You can also find downloadable social media graphics for you to use freely. Organizations can insert their own logos (clear backgrounds only please; no logos on white backgrounds) onto all documents as necessary.
01 October 2024
New Board Takes Office
The National Genealogical Society's 2024-2026 Board of Directors officially takes office today, 1 October 2024. Elected in August, the new board includes 16 officers and directors. Executive Director Matt Menashes, CAE, is a non-voting member of the board bringing the total to 17 members. One officer vacancy will be filled before the end of the year.
The new board is led by President David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FUGA, FIGRS, FNGS, and Vice President Rebecca Koford, CG, CGL.
Additional board members are:
30 August 2024
Occupation: Laborer—Discovering the Stories of Your Hardworking Ancestors
“Here every morning, rain or shine, came the vendors of lacteal fluid, stabled their horses in a row of sheds erected for the purpose, under the shelter of the Heights; and, clubbing together in the hire of boats, were rowed with their milk-cans over to New York, encountering, not infrequently, during the severe winter months, much suffering and even serious danger from fierce winds and floating ice. Their cans were suspended from yokes across their shoulders, and thus accoutered they peddled off their milk in the city and returned in the afternoon, wind and weather permitting, to the Brooklyn side where they hitched up their teams and started for their homes.”
Local histories, like this one, are available online via resources including Internet Archive, Google Books, Hathi Trust, and at websites of local libraries, archives, and genealogical and historical organizations.
Newspapers provide coverage of working conditions, strikes, local economic conditions, and so much more. The day-to-day insights into your ancestor’s hometown (albeit sometimes tinged with the political undertones of the reporting newspaper) can give you an up close and personal look at the impact your ancestor’s occupation had on their lives and the lives of those in the community.
Other unions stepped up in solidarity with the RTC, including an estimated 40,000 workers from the building trades, 30,000 textile workers, 20,000 metal workers, 19,000 from the garment industry, and thousands in transportation.[3] The strike had a direct impact on their families, as well as those living and conducting business in Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, online at NewspaperArchives.com.
[1] Henry Reed Stiles, “A History of the City of Brooklyn: including the old town and village of Brooklyn, the town of Bushwick, and the village and city of Williamsburgh, vol. II” online images, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/historyofcityofb02stil/page/n145/mode/2up: accessed 27 Aug 2024).
[2] Julianne Kornacki, “General Strike of 1910,” online article, The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia (https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/general-strike-of-1910/: accessed 27 Aug 2024.
Kluskens, Claire Prechtel. “Butter Makers and More: Revelations of the 1929 Census of Manufacturers.” NGS Magazine 43 (Jul–Sep 2017): 61–64.
Stuart-Warren, Paula. “Tracking Railroads and Railroad History.” NGS Magazine 32 (Apr–Jun 2006): 21–25.
23 August 2024
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
10 August 2024
NGS Announces Special One-Time Only GRIP Course with Tom Jones
NGS is pleased to announce the addition of a one-time only special GRIP Genealogy Institute course with Tom Jones. Work with the expert on mastering genealogical proof standards with the special course offering and new case studies!
Registration opens on 14 August [NEW DATE]
Courses Announced for GRIP Genealogy Institute's 2025 Lineup
NGS has announced the lineup for the 2025 GRIP Genealogy Institute courses. Plan ahead to join us online or in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the Summer of 2025.