17 June 2025

Honoring Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom and Education

Juneteenth, observed annually on 19 June, commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom—900 days after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.

Throughout the years, Juneteenth has evolved into a nationwide celebration of Black resilience, culture, and progress, and in June 2021, it was officially recognized as a national holiday. Today, communities across the country honor the day with parades, music, barbeques, and red food and drinks (honoring the sacrifices made by enslaved African Americans and representing resilience).

James Worris Moore, Archivist at the National Archives (1956-1998)
James Worris Moore, Archivist at the National Archives (1956-1998)
Juneteenth celebrations can include lectures, storytelling sessions, and genealogy workshops that help individuals understand their family’s journey through history. This educational aspect of Juneteenth dovetails nicely with the launch of the James Worris Moore Leadership Academy, a new National Genealogical Society program. The Society’s objective is to nurture a new cohort of leaders within the genealogy community.

The James Worris Moore Leadership Academy: Empowering Future Leaders


With education as one of its core missions, NGS is shaping the future of genealogy by developing the next generation of leaders. By implementing this novel Academy program, NGS endeavors to empower individuals with the requisite skills, knowledge, and self-assurance to effectively catalyze organizational transformation within the genealogical community. This initiative is driven by the following
  • Develop Future Leaders by equipping participants with the leadership skills, knowledge, and experience necessary to take on leadership roles within the genealogical community, ensuring the continued growth and vitality of the field.
  • Enhance Diversity and Inclusion by fostering a more inclusive and representative genealogical community by actively supporting individuals from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, creating pathways for broader participation and leadership.
  • Encourage Practical Engagement by providing hands-on opportunities for participants to contribute to NGS and the genealogy field through capstone projects, committee work, and professional presentations, strengthening their impact and visibility.
  • Build Professional Networks by connecting emerging leaders with established genealogical experts, NGS committees, and broader professional networks, enhancing collaboration and career development within the field.

Program Highlights


  • One-year membership in NGS
  • Free registration for the annual Family History Conference
  • Exclusive leadership training from NGS committee members
  • $250 research stipend
  • Hands-on experience with NGS committees
  • Networking opportunities with genealogy experts

Who Should Apply?


Eligible participants must meet at least one of the following criteria:
  • Under 45 years of age
  • Three to five years of genealogy experience
  • Member of a traditionally underrepresented group in NGS (racial, ethnic, disability, or religious background)

The deadline for applicants is 30 June 2025, so time is of the essence for applications.

In Conclusion


As we commemorate Juneteenth—a powerful reminder of freedom, resilience, and the importance of remembering our shared history—we are also called to look forward. Growth can’t happen in our community without new leaders. The establishment of the James Worris Moore Leadership Academy provides a crucial opportunity for emerging leaders to enhance their comprehension of organizational transformation within the genealogy community.

By investing in education, inclusion, and community engagement, NGS hopes to not only strengthen the future of the genealogical field, but also ensure that the stories of all people are recognized, preserved, and shared.

06 June 2025

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

04 June 2025

National Genealogical Society's James Worris Moore Leadership Academy Now Accepting Applications


2 JUNE 2025—The National Genealogical Society (NGS) announced the launch of the James Worris Moore Leadership Academy at its annual Family History Conference on 25 May 2025. James Worris Moore (1930-2019) was an archivist at the National Archives for forty-two years. A tireless advocate for genealogical research and record preservation, he was dedicated to ensuring public access to historical records. In the same spirit, the academy aims to shape the future of genealogy by empowering the next generation of leaders in the family history community.

The Moore Leadership Academy offers an opportunity for individuals passionate about genealogy and family history to develop the skills, knowledge, and experience to forge a pathway toward leadership in this exciting field.

The academy is now accepting applications. To apply, individuals must meet at least one of three criteria: be under forty-five years old, have three to five years of family history research experience, or belong to a group underrepresented in NGS. Successful applicants will receive

  • one-year membership in NGS,
  • free registration for the annual Family History Conference,
  • exclusive leadership training,
  • $250 research stipend,
  • hands-on experience with NGS committees, and
  • networking opportunities with genealogy experts.

 

The application deadline is 30 June 2025, and the first cohort is scheduled to begin in September 2025.

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Contact: Matt Menashes, CAE

Phone: 703-525-0050

Email: mattm@ngsgenealogy.org

03 June 2025

NGS Presents Awards for Excellence in Genealogy Scholarship and Service at Family History Conference

 24 MAY 2025—The National Genealogical Society (NGS) presented awards to those whose work highlights excellence in genealogy scholarship and service at a plenary session on Saturday morning, 24 May, during its Family History Conference, Tales & Trails, at the Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky. Felicia Jamison, PhD, assistant professor of history at the University of Louisville, gave the keynote address, “Recovering Louisville’s African American History Using Genealogical Research.” Awards Committee Chair Judy Nimer Muhn presented the Awards of Merit, Awards of Excellence, and Certificates of Appreciation. 

The Award of Merit is presented to an individual or non-profit genealogical or historical organization to recognize exceptional contributions to the field of genealogy over a period of five or more years. Their work must have significantly aided research or increased interest in genealogy. This year the NGS board of directors presented the award to the following distinguished leaders in our sector. 

The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO) is recognized for its outstanding work to connect, educate, share, and inspire people in the pursuit of genealogy. It supports researchers in Canada and beyond with effective research methods and practices focused on the British Isles. Its broad scope of programming includes in-person meetings, online education, publications, indexes to special populations of those of British Isles descent, and access to presentations of international speakers. The BIFHSGO continues to provide its members valuable content, a vibrant community of fellow researchers, and access to high-quality resources. 

Valerie-Anne Lutz, MSLIS, is president of the board of directors of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania (GSP) and a longtime member of NGS. Since at least 2008, Lutz has been an enthusiastic and indefatigable volunteer for the GSP. She is a past chair of its Membership Committee and currently chairs its Technology and Website Committee and the Library and Collections Committee. She has served on the GSP Board of Directors since 2011, was secretary in 2014, and is its current president. 

Annie S. Mabry has dedicated more than thirty years to the field of genealogy. Her contributions have significantly aided research and increased public interest in family history. Perhaps Mabry’s greatest impact has been through her education initiatives. She has trained 3,250+ individuals in beginner, intermediate, and advanced genealogical methods. Through partnerships with the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library, she has made genealogy more accessible to diverse communities, equipping participants with tools to uncover and preserve their family stories. 

Elizabeth Swanay O’Neal, CG, has been active in the genealogy community for the past decade. Since 2019, she has served in a volunteer capacity as the director of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ) Study Groups, which meet monthly to discuss the publication’s case studies. O’Neal is a leader in the Association of Professional Genealogists and has served as president of the South California Chapter since 2021. She is a past president of the Second Life Chapter and served as vice president and president of the Second Life Virtual Genealogical Society. She is currently the education and programs director for Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society. She was the Genealogical Speakers Guild secretary and a ProGen Study Group Coordinator. For the Daughters of the American Revolution, she has acted as genealogy consultant, national chair of Congress Online, and national chair of Volunteer Information Specialists. 

Ilmo. Sr. D. Pablo Antonio Pérez was born in Argentina and began researching his family history at the age of 14. He is dedicated to preserving the genealogy records, heraldry, history and ethnography from the island of Chiloé (Chile) as well as from Spain and other regions under historical German influence. He holds a Diploma in Genealogy, Heraldry and Nobility from the Instituto Español de Estudios Nobiliarios as well as Master in Nobility and Awards Law, Heraldry and Genealogy from the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Spain. Pérez is a prolific researcher and writer. He researched and published the first genealogies of Indigenous families from Chiloé, and has published three books and numerous scholarly articles in academies, universities, institutes, and research centers. His research has been published in ten languages and fourteen countries. 

Donna Potter Phillips has been a strong supporter and volunteer of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society since 1975. She has held multiple leadership roles on the Board and initiated the Annual Board Retreat. She launched online classes and multi-class workshops and spearheaded an Obituary Project. which added over 100,000 records to the society’s online research index. She led the Walking with Ancestors event for several years and taught many beginning genealogy classes. Phillips has been a guest speaker at local sister societies and is a published author of her former newspaper column, Heritage Hunting, which ran for ten years. 

Allen Thomas, a former Clerk of Court in Laurens County, Georgia, undertook and completed a herculean, fifteen-year project to preserve the records found three cardboard boxes in an old vault at the courthouse, which held 31,895 original documents from the nineteenth century. Original documents such as these have great historical value. The majority of the documents are estate records. Numerous other types of documents included guardian bonds, sheriff bonds, jury commissioner oaths, oaths of numerous elected officials, etc. These documents were bundled in separate categories. Thomas rearranged the documents into 3,800 files based on given and family names. He then spent years keying an abstract of each document into the computer. The documents are now housed at Laurens County, Georgia Public Library, where they are available for historical and genealogical research six days a week. 

Barbara West, is a ninety-three-year-old volunteer who has been actively involved in the Roscommon County Genealogical Society of Michigan for over twenty years. A trustee on the Executive Board, she administers the society’s research center on Mondays and Wednesdays, offering her years of expertise and knowledge to patrons needing assistance. West recently retired as editor of the society’s quarterly newsletter. Over the years, she has collected and maintained a regional surname file sorted alphabetically and recorded on a database. When a historian in France contacted the center, West helped her trace the family a soldier who had landed the beaches of Normandy in WWII. The historian had found the soldier’s duffle bag and wanted to return it to his family. Thanks to West, the society was able to contact the man's family and put them in touch with the historian. 

Awards for Excellence 

Awards for Excellence are presented for a specific, significant single contribution in the form of a family genealogy or family history book, a publication discussing genealogical methods and sources, or an exemplary article published in the NGS Quarterly. The winners demonstrate scholarship and excellence in genealogy. 

Genealogy and Family History Book 

First place: Jenifer Kahn Bakkala and Eileen Curley Pironti (co-authors), Ancestral Lines of Iain W.F. Shepherd and Helen Waugh (Gray) Shepherd. Boston: Newbury Street Press, an imprint of American Ancestors, 2023. 

Methods and Sources Book 

First place: Jane E. Wilcox. New York State Archives Guide for Family Historians, Biographers, and Historical Researchers. New York: New York Genealogical & Biographical Society, 2024. 

Second place: Mary Blauss Edwards. Plymouth County, Massachusetts, Freeperson Families in 1790. Boston: Newbury Street Press, an imprint of American Ancestors, 2024. 

National Genealogical Society Quarterly Article 

The article recognized for this award is selected from all of the articles submitted in the previous year and is chosen by the NGSQ staff team. The 2025 winners are Patricia Lee Hobbs, CG and Barbara J. Garrison, PhD, for the March 2024 article, “DNA Merges Families of Stephen Stilwell of Dutchess County, New York; Cornwall, Upper Canada; and Coshocton County, Ohio.” 

Certificates of Appreciation 

The conference team from the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) were awarded Certificates of Appreciation for their volunteer work in preparing for the conference. The conference would not have been possible without their efforts and commitment. The honorees included Publicity Chair Drew Hight, Local Events Chair William Burchfield, and Local Host Society Chair Rae Ann Sauer. Volunteer Chair Melissa Thatcher, with FamilySearch, was also honored with a Certificate of Appreciation. 

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Contact: Matt Menashes, CAE Phone: 703-525-0050 Email: mattm@ngsgenealogy.org ____________________________________________________________________________

 Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society inspires, connects, and leads the family history community by fostering collaboration and best practices in advocacy, education, preservation, and research. We enable people, cultures, and organizations to discover the past and create a lasting legacy. A 501(3)(c) charitable organization, NGS is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historians and genealogists.

02 June 2025

NGS Presents Awards Honoring Excellence in Newsletter Editorship, Filby Award for Genealogical Librarianship and SLAM! Idea Showcase Winner

 25 MAY 2025—This evening at the National Genealogical Society (NGS) 2025 Family History Conference, Tales and Trails, at the Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky, Judy Nimer Muhn, Chair of the NGS Awards Committee, presented several awards during the 2025 SLAM! Idea Showcase. The Showcase recognizes outstanding projects and programs by societies, libraries, archives, museums, and other institutions (SLAM). Fittingly, the awards included the Filby Award for Genealogical Librarianship, NGS Newsletter Competition, and the winners of the Rubincam Youth Writing Competition. This year’s SLAM! Idea Showcase winner was also announced. 

Filby Award for Genealogical Librarianship 

Dennis L. Meldrum, MLS, received this year’s Filby Award for Genealogical Librarianship. As regional manager for the FamilySearch Book Scanning Project, Meldrum led teams whose work resulted in the FamilySearch Digital Library. His goal was to make source materials as widely available as possible. Over the years, his teams were comprised of FamilySearch colleagues, partners in dozens of libraries worldwide, and hundreds of volunteers. Today, the digital library of genealogy and local history materials is the largest in the world. It features more than 635,000 free, searchable, and downloadable digital books, and is a testament to the value of Meldrum’s work and support of librarians, family historians and researchers throughout the world.

Created in 1999 by NGS, the award is named for the late P. William Filby, former director of the Maryland Historical Society and author of many genealogical reference tools that genealogists have relied on for decades. It is presented annually at the NGS Family History Conference. This year’s award is sponsored by FamilySearch, sharing its commitment to empowering researchers and libraries around the world. 

The winners of the 2025 NGS Newsletter Competition, honoring excellence in newsletter editorship by genealogical/historical societies, family associations, and related member organizations in two categories, are: 

Newsletter for a Small Society with less than 500 members 

Winner: St. Clair County Genealogical Society Quarterly, St. Clair County Genealogical Society, Belleville, Illinois Editor Greg Wade 

Newsletter for a Large Society with more than 500 members 

Winner: Italian Genealogical Group Newsletter, Italian Genealogical Group, Bethpage, New York Editor Richard Graziano, Ed.D. 

SLAM! Idea Showcase 

Justice for Greenwood for “Know Your Roots: Genealogy 101 Workshop” was the winner of the NGS 2025 SLAM! Idea Showcase. The hybrid event was designed to help the Tulsa, Oklahoma, community, the Tulsa Race Massacre descendants, and others research ancestors and bridge gaps in their family history. It combined hands-on instruction from experts, storytelling circles, and exhibits that successfully engaged visitors of all ages. 

Rubincam Youth Writing Competition was established in 1986 to encourage and recognize our youth as the next generation of family historians. It honors Milton Rubincam, CG, FASG, FNGS, for his many years of service to NGS and to the field of genealogy. 

Junior Rubincam Youth Award 

Winner: Isabelle Hailey Kee, “Tracing Roots, Finding Purpose” 

Honorable Mention: Yasmeen Fahs, “Delicious Legacy of my Family” 

Senior Rubincam Youth Award 

Winner: Jennifer Duong, “A Redhead and A Dream” 

Honorable Mention: Sadie Hall Kraft, “Four Generations of the Hall Name” 

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Contact: Matt Menashes, CAE Phone: 703-525-0050 Email: mattm@ngsgenealogy.org ____________________________________________________________________________

 Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society inspires, connects, and leads the family history community by fostering collaboration and best practices in advocacy, education, preservation, and research. We enable people, cultures, and organizations to discover the past and create a lasting legacy. A 501(3)(c) charitable organization, NGS is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historians and genealogists.

29 May 2025

Research in Hawaii



Polynesians settled in the archipelago now known as Hawaii more than 1,000 years ago. Over the centuries, it has been a kingdom, a republic, a territory, and in 1959 it became the fiftieth state of the United States. Non-Hawaiians began to settle in Hawaii in the late eighteenth century. Today, it is both multi-cultural and ethnically diverse. The population’s ancestry can be traced to Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, Polynesia, and other Pacific Islands. Family history researchers will discover resources that are distinct to Hawaii including rich oral genealogies (moʻokūʻauhau), written records with name variants, and nuanced land records for this state-land-state. Research in Hawaii author Darcie Hind Posz, CG, FASG, offers genealogists a comprehensive guide to the uniquely rewarding experience of discovering ancestors from the Aloha State.

Research in Hawaii provides genealogists with detailed information about valuable resources and repositories, including:

  • Archives, Libraries, and Societies both centrally located in Honolulu and on each island with resources specific to ethnicity, occupation, region, and time period. Especially helpful is a glossary of Hawaiian words for birth, marriage, death, male, female, etc. found in vital records.
  • Atlases, Gazetteers, and Maps including the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association Plantation Archives, a pivotal resource that offers maps of plantations and camps where workers resided.

  • Ethnic Records covering African American, Chinese, Filipino, Hawaiian (Kanaka Maoli), Japanese, Korean, Polynesian, and Portuguese. With more than a quarter of the population multiracial, the author notes that researchers should be prepared to follow several ethnic groups at once and should be aware of double names, reversed names, and other nuances.
  • Land Records—all of which are at the state level, not Federal—including awards, land claims, and patents for formal land claims of both native people and foreigners.

  • Military Records from the Kingdom of Hawaii Military and Navy Department records (1852-1891) to US military records from World War I through the Vietnam War.
  • Oral Histories, the longest surviving method of transmission of historical accounts of lineage.

The author also includes discussions of

  • Business and Organizational Records
  • Cemetery, Census, and Court Records
  • Immigration and Naturalization Records
  • Institutional, Internment, and Incarceration Records
  • Maritime Records
  • Newspapers, Directories
  • School, Tax, Vital Records, and more.

Author Darcie Hind Posz says of this guide, "Each repository and family history society in Hawaii is discussed and their wonderful resources. Also, new sections not seen in the RIS states series before: horticulture, natural disasters, and oral histories. A focus on Hawaii-specific records such as the Kingdom of Hawaii and Aliʻi (chiefs), the Kūʻē Petition (anti-Annexation), and land records."

Readers will find the website address, physical address, and telephone number for each repository. This book can be purchased as a PDF or paper copy at the NGS website.

Special Offer: Are you living in a community with a large Asian American or Pacific Islander population? Darcie Hind Posz, the author of Research in Hawaii will donate a copy to your local library. Email her at here.

15 May 2025

Join NGS, Vivid-Pix, and Family Search for a Special Symposium on Healthy Aging

Are you curious as to how the genealogy and family history community can improve healthy aging outcomes? Are you a caregiver for a family member with cognitive decline?

Join us for this special free symposium via Zoom on 22 May 2025, streaming live from Louisville, Kentucky.

In recognition of Mental Health Month, the National Genealogical Society, Vivid-Pix, and FamilySearch invite you to attend the Symposium on Healthy Aging and the Role of the Family History Community, on 22 May 2025 from 1:00 PM–5:00 PM ET with online access via Zoom.* The symposium tackles increasing challenges facing Americans as they age: social isolation, dementia, and mental health.

“Family history activities are a pathway to good mental health and combat social isolation. The research, analysis, and writings associated with family history stimulate brain activity; storytelling, photos, and mementos bring back happy memories and intergenerational connection,” said Dr. Charlotte Yeh, Founder, Yeh Innovation, Past Chief Medical Officer, AARP. 

“We’ve witnessed firsthand how photo reminiscence therapy (pRT) can reduce social isolation, improve medication compliance, and enhance connection and cognitive performance with older adults. That’s why we’re dedicated to expanding its availability and making this therapy affordable to all who need it, as well as supporting others’ work to help our community,” said Rick Voight, CEO, Vivid-Pix.

Important topics include:

  • Understanding the health and cognitive issues facing an aging American population.
  • How aging, isolation, and loneliness affect cognition – and how to assist those impacted.
  • How the family history community can help our communities and the aging population.
  • Activities that individuals and organizations, such as genealogy societies, libraries, archives, and museums (SLAMs), are conducting to support healthy aging.

Panelists include leaders in aging health, genealogy, and technology:

  • Charity Rouse, NGS Delegate Council secretary and Spartanburg County Public Libraries
  • Crista Cowan, Corporate Genealogist, Ancestry
  • Curt Witcher, Director, Special Collections & Manager, Genealogy Center, Allen County Public Library
  • David Rencher, NGS president and Chief Genealogical Officer, FamilySearch  
  • Debbie Gurtler, Assistant Director, FamilySearch Library
  • Dr. Charlotte Yeh, Founder, Yeh Innovation & past Chief Medical Officer, AARP 
  • Dr. Shelley Viola Murphy, International African American Museum (IAAM)
  • Ed Donakey, NGS board member and Deputy Chief Genealogical Officer, FamilySearch
  • Ellen Goodwin, Co-Founder, Artifcts
  • Jake Rankin, Owner, Talem Home Care, Certified Senior Advisor 
  • John Dougan, NGS board member and Missouri State Archivist  
  • Matt Menashes, NGS executive director
  • Matt Weismantel, NGS Delegate Council chair
  • Rick Voight, CEO, Vivid-Pix
  • Sheri Rose, CEO, Thrive Center 
  • Theda Heiserman, Director of Training & Education, CERTUS Institute 

Uniquely suited to support activities that promote healthy aging and the family NGS, FamilySearch, and genealogy societies, libraries, archives, museums and companies help thousands of people daily with family history research. “The family history community  . . . helps people learn about their past through research, writing, and storytelling. These activities improve mental health and build strong relationships,” said David Rencher, NGS president and Chief Genealogical Officer, FamilySearch. “We think our community is well-positioned to improve long-term outcomes for an aging population.”

“We’ve found that when helping people trace their roots, it can be transformative for a person’s mental health and perspective,” said Dr. Shelley Murphy of the Center for Family History at International African American Museum. “The people who come to programs at the museum come away with new energy, stronger connections to their past, and a newfound passion for family history research.”

Plan to join us online. Registration is free.
 

13 May 2025

From Steel to Bourbon: Road Trip From/Through Pittsburgh to the NGS 2025 Conference

 



Make your drive to the NGS 2025 Family History Conference part of the fun with a history-filled road trip. Bring a friend for twice the adventure!

The Route: Pittsburgh to Louisville (388 miles)

Three states. Six hours (plus stops!). One epic journey through America’s family history corridor. The route from Pittsburgh—and points further north and east—winds from Pennsylvania’s steel valleys through Ohio’s heartland and into Kentucky bourbon country via I-70 West to Columbus, then I-71 South to Louisville.

Pittsburgh: Gateway to the West

Don’t just zip past Pittsburgh! Plan a stop at the Heinz History Center, a Smithsonian affiliate, where history and genealogy come together. Beyond the fantastic exhibits—from the acclaimed From Slavery to Freedom exhibition to Heinz ketchup and Mr. Rogers—their Detre Library & Archives holds thousands of photos, maps, and manuscript collections that might mention your ancestors. Warning: time evaporates quickly in this treasure trove. Open daily.

Standing where three mighty rivers meet in Point State Park, the Fort Pitt Museum tells the story of Western Pennsylvania’s pivotal role during the French & Indian War and American Revolution and life on the edge of the early frontier. Open daily.

Eastern Add-Ons: If you’re coming from further east (e.g., Philadelphia, Baltimore), consider bypassing Pittsburgh and adding an overnight to explore one or more of these historic treasures:

PIT STOP: Norwich, Ohio

As highway hypnosis threatens to set in, the National Road & Zane Grey Museum offers a respite. This three-in-one gem features a 136-foot diorama chronicling America’s first federally-funded highway—the same road your ancestors may have traveled west. The museum also spotlights Zane Grey, whose Western novels probably filled your grandparents’ bookshelves, and an extensive pottery collection. Open Wednesday through Sunday.

Columbus: Midway Mark

Columbus isn’t just a convenient halfway stop—it’s a research gold mine. The Archives & Library Research Room at the Ohio History Center houses an extensive collection of manuscript materials, newspapers, photos, books, maps, and government records. Consider making an appointment for a personalized research experience. Open Wednesday through Sunday.

Just south of downtown Columbus, the historic German Village showcases one of America’s most successful preservation efforts. Settled by German immigrants in the mid-1800s, the area features brick streets, preserved homes, and shops that reflect the community’s heritage. Walking tours run from April through October.

DECISION POINT: Choose Your Trail

Trail 1: The Direct Route via Cincinnati
Follow I-71 straight through to Louisville (114 miles)

Make Cincinnati your final stop before Louisville at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. The center’s three pavilions represent courage, cooperation, and perseverance—the qualities that enabled so many to seek freedom. Interactive exhibits and firsthand accounts bring to life the history of the Underground Railroad networks that operated across the Ohio River region. Open Tuesday through Sunday.

Have Cincinnati roots? Don’t miss the Genealogy & Local History Department at the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library. Their collection includes extensive Cincinnati records, rare photos, digitized newspapers, family histories, and the Inland Rivers Library covering Ohio River boat traffic between Pittsburgh and Louisville. Open Monday through Saturday.

Trail 2: The Road Less Traveled
Add extra travel time but discover hidden historical gems

Head south from Columbus on US-23 to Serpent Mound near Peebles. This 1,348-foot-long prehistoric effigy mound is on a tentative list for designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For genealogists researching Native American connections, the site offers context about the indigenous peoples who shaped the Ohio Valley long before European settlement. Open Tuesday through Sunday.

Next, continue south to the John Rankin House in Ripley overlooking the Ohio River. From this hilltop home, Presbyterian minister John Rankin and his family helped approximately 2,000 enslaved people escape to freedom. If your research includes African American heritage, standing on these floorboards connects you to courage that records alone can’t capture. Open Wednesday through Sunday.

Destination Louisville!

At the 2025 NGS Family History Conference, look forward to:

·         Cutting-edge tools in action—AI, digital storytelling, and mapping technologies

·         Insightful sessions  and tours featuring Kentucky records and Ohio Valley migration

·         Research tracks covering African American, Native American, and military records

·         Advanced skill-building through the BCG Education Fund workshop and Skillbuilding track

·         Fresh approaches to preserving and sharing family stories

·         Real-world case studies that show how genealogists solve complex research puzzles

And most importantly—your people. One of the greatest benefits of attending in person isn’t just the knowledge you’ll gain; it’s the community. Share breakthrough moments over coffee with researchers who understand your excitement, exchange research tips during lunch, and build your genealogy network during evening events. These connections often lead to collaborative research opportunities and friendships that last far beyond the conference.

Ready to hit the road?
Reserve your spot now— registration options include discounts for NGS members and
NGS member organizations. Already signed up?  Grab a social media badge and let folks know you’re heading to Louisville!

Your ancestors took the hard road—you get the scenic route. See you in Louisville!