Family History Month - Genealogy Opportunities

Photo by Austrian National Library on Unsplash

As we settle into the rhythm of Fall days—crisp mornings, warm afternoons, and shorter daylight hours, it is the perfect opportunity to think about how we can improve our research methods and explore new research tools and sites. For an additional excuse to immerse ourselves in genealogy (but really who needs an excuse!) October is Family History Month! Let’s take a look.

Since Covid, more events have been virtual and that provides opportunities for those who are not able to travel or are not comfortable traveling yet. Here are some learning opportunities that have been announced:
 
All-Day Opportunities - Allen County Public Library (libnet.info)  We’ve discussed the rich resources in the Allen County Public Library in a past blog. On October 15th they are offering a Genealogy Showcase that features eight videos from recognized genealogy speakers on a variety of topics. This is a free event, but you do need to register to receive the link. Go to the link above for instructions.
 
In addition to the all-day event, this month they are featuring many virtual learning events. Check out their genealogy page to discover more: The Genealogy Center - Home | Allen County Public Library (acpl.lib.in.us)
 
Donated Collection Explorer | National Archives  The National Archives has a diverse collection of historical documents that have been donated and they are in the process of digitizing them. It is quite interesting to see the variety of topics that are in this collection—everything from the John F. Kennedy Assassination to the Records of the American Committee on the French Revolution to family papers of individuals. Who knows what treasure might appear as they digitize this information?

 Legacy Family Tree Webinars - live and recorded genealogy webinars  While the Legacy Family Tree Webinars are subscription-based, they do offer free Webinars on specific days and times. Check them out.
​
Unlock the stories of your family’s past with German genealogy translations, courses, books, and more! - Germanology Unlocked If you have German ancestors and are struggling to figure out the translations and the old handwriting, Katherine Schober’s site and courses will help you with your German research. I have her book, Tips and Tricks of Deciphering German Handwriting, and I am currently taking her course: “Reading the Old German Handwriting Online Course.”  I have mentioned her work in a pervious blog. You may have heard her presentations at RootsTech. I have found it invaluable in helping me learn and incorporate the lessons into my translations of family documents.

If you have ancestors from the UK and Canada, you might find this to be an interesting virtual event: The Really Useful Show (fhf-reallyuseful.com). There are a variety of topics related to England, Scotland, and Ireland for this event in November which is presented by the Family History Federation. To check out the topic list click on preview the show. To learn more about Family History Federation, check out their main site: Family History Federation
 
In addition to the above ideas, there are other learning opportunities on the major sites, podcasts or by cracking open one of those genealogy books you purchased years ago and meant to read. FamilyTree Magazine has a fun list of ideas for celebrating Family History Month. Check it out: How to Celebrate Family History Month in October (familytreemagazine.com). Have fun honing your genealogy skills and learning something new this Fall!