UpFront with NGS

21 October 2011

Serious Threat to VA Vital Records Access -- Your HELP is Needed NOW!

The genealogical community has been trying to improve access to vital records in Virginia. SB 865 which was introduced in the General Assembly earlier this year was referred to a legislative commission for further study. The Joint Commission on Health Care issued a report in September which proposes even worse restrictions on Vital Records access in Virginia.

The genealogical societies have responded, but the members of the commission need to receive personal emails from many genealogists before 22 November 2011. Even If you are not a resident of Virginia but have ancestors who lived in Virginia, mention where your ancestors lived and why it is important for you and your extended family to have access to death records to determine your family's health history.

This is a serious threat to vital records access in Virginia. The Virginia Genealogical Society has been actively involved and has provided the attached detailed summary about the status of the legislation and how you can help. The names and email addresses of the members of the commission are also included in this summary – reproduced below in its entirety.

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WILL THERE BE IMPROVED – OR EVEN MORE RESTRICTED –ACCESS

TO VIRGINIA’S VITAL RECORDS?

For genealogists, vital records - public registrations of births, marriages and

deaths - are critical building blocks in genealogical research. Lineage societies typically require vital records certificates as proof of 20^th century births, marriages and deaths. Apart from providing the proof necessary to establish a direct line, the vital records of an ancestor’s siblings may help trace a family’s movements and provide critical clues.

Access to vital records for genealogists varies widely across the country; some jurisdictions make their vital records “open” records accessible to the public with no delays; others can have records “closed” to the public for as long as 125 years; and whether genealogists or remote family members can access any “closed” records also varies from state to state.

Virginia is unfortunately among the more restrictive states for its vital records, which are held by the Division of Vital Records of the Virginia Department of Health (“VDH”). Birth records held by VDH are currently “closed” for 100 years; marriage and death records held by VDH are currently “closed” for 50 years. Marriage records at the city/county level are public “open” records; death records at the city/county level are often “open” as a practical matter (when they can be found) though whether they are legally “open” may turn on exactly which local office holds them.

VDH unfortunately restricts access to its “closed” records to “immediate” family members, excluding grandchildren, nephews, nieces, etc. VDH also refuses to turn over its vital records to the Library of Virginia (“LVA”), the Commonwealth’s archival agency, even after the “closed” period ends, or places restrictions on widespread release of the “open” records which VDH provides to LVA.

In the 2011 Virginia General Assembly (January-February 2011), Senator Harry Blevins of Chesapeake introduced a bill (at the request of a local family history researcher) modestly designed to provide for public release of VDH vital records once the “closed” period ends. This bill, 2011 SB865, was not passed in the 2011 General Assembly, but was referred for study to a legislative commission, the Joint Commission on Health Care (JCHC).

The Virginia Genealogy Society (“VGS”) became aware of the study in March, 2011 and offered comments urging i) that death certificates held by VDH should become open records immediately, since there were no legitimate privacy or identity theft reasons for keeping death certificates closed, and ii) that the definition of family members who could access “closed” vital records should be significantly liberalized.

VGS and LVA worked with JCHC staff in June and July to try to educate staff about genealogists’ need for these records. This included supplying articles on the use of vital records, samples of records, copies of the U.S. Surgeon General’s materials emphasizing the importance of family medical histories, and supplying information from physicians about the importance of death certificates in compiling family medical histories. The staff were also told about the frustration of researchers in being unable to access family members’ records, and wondering why Virginia’s 20^th Century vital records are not being put online, as the vital records of many other states are.

VGS was therefore very disappointed when a JCHC staff study was released on September 19, providing eight options to legislators on the Commission which were confusing at best, and included potential new restrictions, not liberalization, on access, as options. Indeed, staff verbal comments suggested support for closing all records (including the open county and city marriage and death records) and lengthening the closed VDH period to 125 years for births and 75 years for marriages and deaths.

While the staff report suggests exploring an Ancestry-type indexing system of the VDH database to allow improved access, the staff made it clear that VDH, not LVA (which has the genealogical experience) should do this, potentially taking vital records away from LVA.

The deadline for comments to the Commission was October 6, only seventeen days after release of the staff report. VGS attempted to spread the news about the report and the eight options it offered, and suggested positions for the genealogical community, along with legislators’ addresses.

VGS filed its own comments with the Commission, pointing out omissions and inconsistencies in the staff report, and broadly urging vital records reform.

A large number of comments from genealogists and societies were submitted to the Commission, and copies sent to individual legislators.

However, whether or not VGS members commented earlier to the Commission, there is still time to contact the individual legislators who are members of the Commission.

The Commission is scheduled to take up the issue of public records access at a November 22 meeting in Richmond.

Even though the official comment period to the Commission has closed, individual legislators will still pay attention to your emails received before November 22.

Please take the time to send an email to the legislators who are on the Commission (at the email addresses below), emphasizing the need for reform of Virginia’s vital records.

Messages to legislators should mention SB865, and ask legislators to support reform of Virginia’s vital records, at the November 22 meeting namely:

1. Family members (liberally defined) should be granted liberal access to “closed” records.

2. Death certificates should become “open” public records immediately, not after 50 years (or longer). There are no legitimate identity theft or privacy reasons to keep death certificates “closed”.

3. Once vital records held by VDH are no longer “closed”, VDH should turn over these public records of LVA and make them available to researchers.

4. Please thank Senator Blevins for leading this important reform effort.

This study may be the only opportunity for Virginia vital records reform in a generation; and there is a real risk that if enough genealogists or societies do not write Commission members and their own legislators, that the “closed” periods could actually be lengthened.

Please send your email to Commission members as follows:

Senators, General Area, Email address

Linda T. Puller, Fairfax, Prince William, district36@senate.virginia.gov

George Barker, Fairfax, Prince William, district39@senate.virginia.gov

Harry B. Blevins, Chesapeake/Portsmouth, district14@senate.virginia.gov

Edd Houck, Fredericksburg/Orange, district17@senate.virginia.gov

Louise Lucas, Portsmouth - Brunswick, district18@senate.virginia.gov

Ralph Northam, M.D., Norfolk, Matthews, Eastern Shore, district06@senate.virginia.gov

William Wampler, Bristol and Southwest, district40@senate.virginia.gov

Patricia S. Ticer, Alexandria/Arlington/Fairfax, district30@senate.virginia.gov

House of Delegates, General Area, Email address

Ben Cline, Amherst – Lexington, delbcline@house.virginia.gov

Bob Brink, Arlington, delrbrink@house.virginia.gov

David Bulova, Fairfax, deldbulova@house.virginia.gov

Rosalyn Dance, Petersburg, delrdance@house.virginia.gov

Scott Garrett, M.D., Lynchburg, delsgarrett@house.virginia.gov

Algie Howell, Norfolk, delahowell@house.virginia.gov

Harvey Morgan, Gloucester, delhmorgan@house.virginia.gov

Dave Nutter, Radford/Roanoke, deldnutter@house.virginia.gov

John O’Bannon, M.D. Henrico, deljobannon@house.virginia.gov

Chris Peace, Hanover, delcpeace@house.virginia.gov

In block form, these email addresses are:

district36@senate.virginia.gov; district39@senate.virginia.gov; district14@senate.virginia.gov; district17@senate.virginia.gov; district18@senate.virginia.gov; district06@senate.virginia.gov; district40@senate.virginia.gov; district30@senate.virginia.gov; delbcline@house.virginia.gov; delrbrink@house.virginia.gov; deldbulova@house.virginia.gov; delrdance@house.virginia.gov; delsgarrett@house.virginia.gov; delahowell@house.virginia.gov; delhmorgan@house.virginia.gov; deldnutter@house.virginia.gov; deljobannon@house.virginia.gov; delcpeace@house.virginia.gov

and write your own legislator if you live in Virginia. If every VGS member were to email the members of the Commission in early to mid-November, the cumulative effect of this would be hard for the Commission to ignore. VGS will continue to work for improved access to vital records, and will report on this in future issues of the newsletter.

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20 October 2011

National Archives Joins iTunes U Community

This summer, the National Archives (NARA) launched its first station on iTunes U. iTunes U is a feature on Apple's iTunes that helps educational and cultural institutions disseminate information to the iTunes audience. Users can subscribe to the channel and access objects from the National Archives digital collection through the iTunes store, free of charge.

The first collections published on iTunes U by NARA included subjects such as important documents in American history, the Civil War, World War II newsreels, and the Civil Rights Movement. By subscribing to the National Archives iTunes U channel, users will be able to view videos and documents from the National Archives collection, giving us another way to reach new users!

When you see the National Archives show up or search on it -- you will then see what's available.

Editor’s Note: Access to Itunes U requires a connection to the ITunes Store through the iTunes app which you’ll be asked to download if you don’t already have it resident on your computer.

Editor’s Note: We learned of this from the Autumn 2011 edition of the National Archives Researcher News. Previous issues are at this site:

www.archives.gov/dc-metro/newsletter

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19 October 2011

National Genealogical Society Seeks Nominations for the 2012 Genealogy Hall of Fame

Would your society like to honor a genealogist whose exemplary work lives on today? Perhaps there was a notable genealogist in your state or county whose name should be memorialized in the NGS Hall of Fame. If so, the National Genealogical Society would like to hear from you. NGS is seeking nominations from the entire genealogical community for persons whose achievements or contributions have made an impact on the field. This educational program increases appreciation of the high standards advocated and achieved by committed genealogists whose work paved the way for researchers today.

Since 1986 when Donald Lines Jacobus became the first genealogist elected to the National Genealogy Hall of Fame, twenty‐four outstanding genealogists have been recognized for their contributions. The 2012 honoree will join this select group of distinguished members. This year’s selection, and the society that honored the nominee, will be feted at the 2012 NGS Family History Conference to be held in Cincinnati, Ohio 9-12 May 2012. Nominations for election to the Hall of Fame are made by genealogical societies and historical societies throughout the

United States

Guidelines for nominations:

A nominee must have been actively engaged in genealogy in the United States for at least ten years, must have been deceased for at least five years at the time of nomination, and must have made contributions to the field of genealogy judged to be of lasting significance in ways that were unique, pioneering, or exemplary.
The National Genealogy Hall of Fame is an educational project in which the entire genealogical community is invited to participate. Affiliation with the National Genealogical Society is not required.

The National Genealogy Hall of Fame Committee elects one person to the Hall of Fame annually. Those elected are permanently commemorated in the Hall of Fame at Society headquarters, Arlington, Virginia.

Nominations for election to the Hall of Fame are due by 31 January each year. Official nomination forms are available from our website or by contacting the National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22204-4304; phone 1-800-473-0060.

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2010 Winner was Albert Cook Myers: Albert Cook Myers (1874-1960) dedicated himself to the early history of Pennsylvania, especially to the history and genealogies of the Quakers. He was nominated by the Historical Society of Chester County, Pennsylvania, and the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania. His monumental work on these families resulted in the publication of many well-known books and numerous articles. He left an important and well-sized legacy when he donated his life work to the Chester County Historical Society. Within the collection are transcriptions of marriages, land records, land maps, diaries, cemeteries, and courthouse records, all of which continue to be extremely useful to

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Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to UpFront@ngsgenealogy.org. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.

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18 October 2011

Digital Public Library of America -- 1st Plenary Meeting, 21 October, National Archives (DC)

The first Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) Plenary Meeting, convened by the DPLA Secretariat at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society and hosted by The National Archives in Washington, DC, will bring together a wide range of stakeholders in a broad, open forum to present the history of and vision for the DPLA effort, to showcase the best ideas and models submitted to the Beta Sprint (an open call for code and concepts defining how the DPLA should operate), and to create multiple points of entry for public participation in the work of the DPLA.

Registration for the DPLA Plenary Meeting is free and open to all. All those interested from the general public, the educational community, public and research libraries, cultural organizations, state and local government, the creative community, publishers, and private industry are invited to join the plenary meeting.

The hope is to bring together a broad and diverse mix of participants, both individually and institutionally. Space at the plenary meeting is limited and there will be participation online via webcasts and social tools. Please register only if you are able to attend the entire event.

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17 October 2011

NGS Home Study Course -- A Participant's Perspective -- Part 1

Susan Yockey, the National Genealogical Society Course Administrator, recently completed the NGS Home Study Course. Over several posts, Susan will share with us her perspective on taking the course – her joys and frustrations – her trials and tribulations – her successes and what she learned about her ancestors and herself along the way.

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Part 1

I enrolled in NGS’ Home Study Course in August 2009. I’d always been interested in genealogy since I was a child. However, it wasn’t until I had moved to the DC metro area in 1991 that I actually began my genealogical research. The main focus of my research was my paternal grandmother, Virginia WOMBLE BLICKENSDERFER and her line. She had always been a bit of a mysterious figure to me while I was growing up, because she had died when I was very young. Shortly after her death, my grandfather remarried. Out of respect to my grandfather’s new wife, my parents didn’t want me to talk about my grandmother in front of my step-grandmother.

By the time that I began taking the course, I had accumulated a significant amount of documents and information on my grandmother’s family. I had hit all of the genealogical facilities in the DC area and even gone on a couple of research trips where I visited courthouses, churches, cemeteries, and state archives.

What I noticed about the course is the gradual progression of difficulty in the lesson assignments. The student can complete most of the early lessons without leaving their home. By lesson 4, you are then required to leave your comfort zone and venture out into the world in order to complete the other lesson assignments. For me, this is the purpose of genealogical research. It’s impossible to perform an accurate and through research without visiting and researching an unfamiliar locale or time period.

I was able to breeze through Lesson 1’s first assignment, which requires you to fill out a pedigree chart. When working on the second assignment’s family group sheet, I chose Virginia’s, father’s family because it was the one that I had done the most research on. Also, the assignment asks that you include a source(s) for every item of information. I could easily meet this requirement thanks to the amount of documents that I had accumulated over the years.

The assignments for lesson 2 were easy for me because I had already researched an oral tradition and because I had communicated my interest in the history of my paternal grandmother, my uncle gave me a number of memorabilia and papers of hers and her family’s.

Joseph Womble

The oral tradition I wrote about was the story of my great uncle Joseph WOMBLE’s untimely death in 1927 when he was in his mid-twenties. At the time of researching the events leading up to his death, my father had told me that I wouldn’t find anything. I proved him wrong by locating Joseph’s death certificate, a front-page newspaper article, which described the accident, and the coroner’s inquest.

Newspaper Article about Joseph Womble's Death

Lesson 3’s assignments were again fairly easy for me to complete. I wrote up interview questions where I interviewed one of my uncles. I had, of course, already written letters to some of Virginia’s relatives before, so this was easily composed. I hadn’t written a query to a genealogical publication before, so this was new to me. For that assignment, I closely followed the example given in the lesson and the example given in the assignment.

Here is where I’m forced out of my comfort zone. I will confess here as to be someone who, unless the instant benefit of performing some task can be readily visualized by me, I have zero interest in doing it. Coupled with the fact that I’ve spent half my life living up north, I find living in the DC metro area can be a little trying at times as I attempt to rationalize the history of the area. Lesson 4’s assignment involves visiting a library nearby and finding out what historical and genealogical resources are available there. It is mentioned in the instructions that your first choice should be a public library.

I chose to visit the Central Library where I live in Arlington, VA. I already knew that the library had a Virginia Room, which I had visited a long time ago when I was researching my grandmother’s family. Honestly, the Virginia Room held little interest for me because of my belief that I’m not going to find anything there that will further my research because none of the people I’m researching ever lived in this area. I wanted to complete this lesson, so I went to the Virginia Room again. My thinking was also that I might learn a little bit more about Arlington, which might be interesting. I talked to the librarian there, which was great. The assignment provides you with a list of items to look for at the library, and I went through it systematically as I explored the room.

While I was working on my assignment, I happened to see a familiar book title. I was shocked to find it in a library collection that purported to only focus on Virginia and Arlington County. The book was Paul Heinegg’s Free African Americans of North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina: from the colonial period to about 1820. I knew this book from a visit I made to the Library of Congress. I had found my 3^rd great grandfather listed in this book. I consider that to be a pretty big and surprising find for a white person.

After completing my survey of the library I felt that I’d gotten my feet wet by stepping out into the world of genealogical research and was able to look forward to tackling Lesson 5’s subject—Census Records.

Editor’s Note: You can learn more about the Home Study Course via the course syllabus or watch the video.

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Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

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Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com.