The
Declaration of Rights is a statement advocating open access to federal, state,
and local public records. The Declaration affirms America
During the
NGS 2014 Family History Conference this week, genealogists from almost all
fifty states have signed the Declaration of Rights. Over the next few months,
the Declaration will travel to the 34th IAJGS Conference on Jewish
Genealogy in Salt Lake City , Utah ,
27 July–1 August 2014 and the Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference
in San Antonio , Texas
Genealogists
advocate the right of access to records held by government agencies including
but not limited to vital records (births, marriages, deaths, divorces); land
conveyances and mortgages; tax assessments; guardianships; probates of estates;
criminal proceedings; suits of law and equity; immigration; military service
and pensions; and acts of governmental entities. Genealogists further
advocate that they need to be allowed access to original records when
photocopies, microfilm, digital images, or other formats are insufficient to
establish clear text, context, or completeness of the record. The rights of
genealogists specified in the Declaration object to numerous barriers created
to deny them access to records.
Thousands
of professional genealogists do research every day on behalf of clients,
government agencies, and attorneys. Of particular note are the many forensic
genealogists who assist the Department of Defense in locating heirs for the
repatriation of remains from previous wars; assist county coroners in the
identification of unclaimed persons; work with attorneys in locating missing
and unknown heirs involving estates, trusts, real estate quiet title actions,
oil and gas and mineral rights, and other similar legal transactions; trace and
track heritable medical conditions where finding distant cousins can facilitate
early treatment and possibly prevent a premature death; research stolen art and
artifacts for repatriation; and identify American Indians, Native Alaskans, and
Native Hawaiians to determine eligibility for tribal benefits.
The Records
Preservation and Access Committee (RPAC) is a joint committee of the National
Genealogical Society (NGS), the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS), and
the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) as
sponsoring members. The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), the
Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG), the International Commission for
the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen), and the American
Society of Genealogists (ASG) also serve as participating members. RPAC meets
monthly to inform and advise the genealogical community on ensuring proper
access to vital records and on supporting strong records preservation policies
and practices at the federal, state, and occasionally the local level.
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