Getting Started with Genealogy
Tuesday January 26, 2016
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Heritage Conference Room, Athens Clarke County Library -This is an introductory class designed to help new genealogists begin their family history research. The class focuses on research methods, source citations and best practices. Class is limited to 10 participants and registration is required. Register HERE (7 seats left Dec. 31 2015.)
Next year will have the usual variety of genealogy conferences and seminars, with a few location changes. The National Genealogical Society Annual Conference in the States will be May 4-7 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. See National Genealogical Society for the program and registration (already open).
The Federation of Genealogical Societies will have its annual conference Aug. 31-Sept. 3 in Springfield, Ill. Always a good meeting for society representatives to attend, but they have many other topics and speakers. See www.fgs.org .
The IGHR (Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research) will meet at Samford University in Birmingham for the last time June 12-17, before moving to Athens in 2017. Registration opens Jan. 19 at http: //samford.libguides.com / ighr.
The Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, a national group with chapters all over the U.S., will host its annual meeting Oct. 13-16 in Atlanta, sponsored by the local Metro Atlanta Chapter. Check www.aahgsatl.org . The local chapter holds meetings throughout the year as well.
Continuing on the local level, the Georgia Archives will host Lunch and Learn seminars the second Friday of each month, as well as several special days during the year, such as Genealogy Day in the fall. Check georgiaarchives.org for information.
The Georgia Genealogical Society hosts four all-day seminars during the year, although next year the dates will vary. For meeting information and their free monthly webinar calendar, see gagensociety.org .
Many county genealogical societies have great speakers at their monthly or quarterly meetings. To see what is planned, check frequently with the Cobb County Genealogical Society ( cobbgagensoc.org , who also host a beginning class in January), the Rockdale County Genealogical Society, and the Genealogical Society of Henry and Clayton Counties (henryclayto ngenealogy.com and their Facebook page).
Slave ship Antelope is seminar topic Dr. Jonathan Bryant will speak Jan. 8 at noon at the Georgia Archives Lunch and Learn Seminar on “Dark Places of the Earth: The Voyage of the Slave Ship Antelope,” his book about an 1820 incident and the Supreme Court decision. Bryant is a professor at Georgia Southern University. Free, bring your own lunch. Check georgiaarchives.org for more information or call 678-364-3710.
‘Finding Your Roots’ returns Jan. 5 Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. returns to PBS/Georgia Public Broadcasting on January 5 with “Finding Your Roots” featuring new genealogies of several celebrities. Check local listings for times.
Contact Kenneth H. Thomas Jr., P.O.Box 901, Decatur, GA 30031 or at gagensociety.org .
Oh, my, where did that come from?” As the family historian, have you either thought or said this? A complete source citation shows the what, when, where and who of our genealogy records. Citations tell the reader where to obtain that important birth certificate or other document. Was a story passed down from generation to generation? Who shared this story? When did they first hear this story? Where did the story take place? With this information, the genealogist will attempt to validate a story or document….
READ MORE HERE : Genealogy Citations: The importance of being complete
The Veterans History Project at Atlanta History Center seeks to collect oral histories of American war veterans who served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts, and civilians who served in their support. Atlanta History Center will consider other materials such as letters, diaries, maps, photographs, and home movies from these participants on a case by case basis.
Atlanta History Center preserves and makes accessible these accounts so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better appreciate the realities of war and the sacrifices made by those who served in uniform during wartime. The interviews preserved at the Kenan Research Center are created in partnership with the Veterans History Project, an initiative of the Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center. Since 2000, the Library has collected interviews of veterans of World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, and the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts. The History Center is a founding partner and to date has contributed over 400 interviews of veterans in Metropolitan Atlanta with the invaluable assistance of the Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association.
The collection can be viewed here:
Digitization and cataloging of this collection is made possible by grants from the Scott Hudgens Family Foundation, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, and the Atlanta Chapter , National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.
For immediate release- December 18 2015
Jonathan M. Bryant to speak at GEORGIA ARCHIVES
Jonathan M. Bryant, author of the book Dark Places of the Earth: The Voyage of the Slave Ship Antelope, will speak at the Georgia Archives on Friday January 8, 2016. Dr. Bryant is Professor of History at Georgia Southern University. Holding both J.D. and Ph.D. degrees, he specializes in the history of American law, slavery, and emancipation.
Dark Places of the Earth (W.W. Norton, a Liveright book, 2015) plunges us into a world where slavery was normal, and where slaves had no rights as human beings. The Revenue Cutter Dallas escorted the slave ship Antelope to anchor off the town of St. Marys, Georgia in June 1820, carrying over two hundred and fifty African captives. Many of those captives were starving and dying of thirst, and two had already died. Dr. Bryant will share the Antelope’s story, along with some of the research and archival resources that made telling the story possible.
Please make plans to join us on January 8 at the Archives for a journey with the Antelope; from Havana ports to the West African coast, from Georgia plantations to a Liberian settlement, Dark Places of the Earth creates a multidimensional portrait of the global slave trade.
The Georgia Archives is a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and identifies, collects, manages, preserves, and publicizes records and information of Georgia and its people and assists state and local government agencies with their records management. This work is done within the framework of the USG’s mission to create a more highly educated Georgia
Form more information, please contact Jill Sweetapple at 678-364-3731 or email Jill at Jill.Sweetapple (AT)usg.edu
Georgia Archives- 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, Georgia 30260 678-364-3710
Save the Date- Register Early!
Our Genealogy Group
5th Annual Genealogy Workshop
March 5, 2016
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
RSVP to ourgenealogygroup (AT) gmail.com by February 21st.
Great topics with a focus on beginner and intermediate levels. However, all genealogy enthusiasts are welcome and should find these sessions helpful and informative
Dalton’s public library reopened December 15th and received good reviews from patrons.
The renovation includes a new open space in the middle of the main floor where patrons can sit or the library can host events. Plus, a new teen library was added and a teen librarian. The teen area includes been bag chairs and a large screen for video games.
Computer facilities also are getting an upgrade, but everything is not in place yet. The basement of the library now includes a huge room where the Friends of the library can display books for the monthly book sale.
The main focus of the renovation is an enlarged space for classrooms the library uses for its workforce development program. The stated mission of the library is to get technology into the hands of Georgia citizens.
The renovation is the first in three phases. Plans for the second and third phase include a Georgia History Collection and material to help local residents with genealogical research.
For more information about the reopening:
Newly renovated Dalton library gets good reviews from patrons
Steve Johnson, TimesFreePress.com, Dalton, Ga. December 15, 2015
The Polk County Historical Society recently hosted a book signing by B.G. McElwee, Sr.
McElwee signed his latest book “Things I Remember” which is his autobiography.
The author is a native of Cedartown and a member of the Cedartown High School Class of 1955. He is the owner of Woodlands, Inc., a historical restoration company. He also served as the superintendent during restoration of Barnsley Gardens. In addition, he restored the 1902 Stock Exchange Building in Adairsville, Georgia creating a dinner theatre facility in the Stock Exchange building. He is co-founder of “The Institute for Northwest Georgia History” and Director of the Rome Area History Museum.
The new book will be available at the Polk County Historical Society Museum during the holiday season.
In addition to his biography, McElwee has written and published a number of other books, including the following:
Floyd County, Georgia, (Images of America),a Pictorial History
Cherokee County, Alabama, ( Images of America), a Pictorial History
The event was a fundraising event for the Polk County Historical Society located at 205 S. College St. Cedartown, Ga. polkhist.org
You can read more about the event here:
Book Signing held at Polk County Historical Museum
The Polk County Standard Journal, Cedartown, Georgia http://www.polkstandardjournal.com
Meet and greet for new genealogy librarian is Monday– StatesboroHerald.com, Statesboro, Georgia
The Friends of the Statesboro-Bulloch County Library held a meet and greet on December 5th to introduce, Lillian L. Wingate, the library’s new genealogy librarian.
Wingate plans to coordinate an number of genealogy related programs at the library. Also, Wingate accepts appointments to help research a family’s history. Contact information is within the linked article.
“Genealogy for Beginners” a workhop taught by Kim Anderson will meet monthly for four months beginning Monday January 11 at 12:30 p.m. The program will provide the basic skills a budding genealogist needs to being research.
Additional programs will be announced throughout 2016.
Genealogy In Georgia 
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