Family History Day

Celebrate Family History Month with the Dallas Public Library, Dallas Genealogical Society and the Genealogy Network of Texas (GNT), a state-wide initiative to connect libraries/genealogical societies and provide educational and research opportunities! 

Seven FREE programs will be live streamed from genealogy speakers in Texas and throughout the U.S. This program is available both in-person at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 8th floor (in-person attendees get research assistance, tours & door prizes!) OR join us online from home. Register below for either option!

Family History Day Live-Stream Schedule 

9:10 AM – 10:25 a.m. Secrets to Successful Writing & Publishing Angela Breidenbach, Executive Director IIGS
Gain a solid overview of the real writing world. Learn the “big picture” and key tools to take your writing to the next level. The presentation will explore a variety of important topics including style, editing, building a portfolio, marketing your work, and more! 

10:35 a.m. – 11:25 a.m. Linking the Generations with Court and Land Records Judy Russell, The Legal Genealogist   
It’s the single biggest issue genealogists face: how do we connect one generation to the next with reliable evidence? Vital records are excellent documentation, but they often don’t exist for the time and place we’re researching. We must make sure we’re not simply putting people into family lines because they share the same names. Using court and land records, we can often find the evidence needed to link the generations accurately.  Sponsored by the Texas Research Ramblers Genealogical Society.

11:35 a.m. – 12:25 p.m. Tame the Chaos Tiger: Organize Your Records and Research Susan Ball, President TxSGS
How many times are the solutions to our brick walls found in records we already have? This presentation starts with taming the physical chaos caused by lack of organization and continues with taming the research chaos caused by poorly defined and overlooked research. Explore templates for organizational tools to help organize information and form a research plan.

12:35 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. Genealogy Basics: Start Searching for Your Ancestors Today Irene B. Walters, Librarian, HPL
Need info on the names, dates, and places your family lived? Interested in finding out how to track down your family stories?  Come learn the basics you need to get started! Discover the tools available, starting with home sources and continuing with the types of created records that are useful for genealogical research and where they can be found. Also covered will be ways to stay organized by utilizing paper charts and forms or computer software.

2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. Uncover Your Family’s Story Using the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) Elizabeth Hodges, Senior Librarian, ACPL Genealogy Center 
Recently made free to the public, the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) is the premier subject index for genealogy and local history periodicals, and is produced by the staff of The Genealogy Center. Learn how to make PERSI your new favorite tool in your family history toolbox!

3:00 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. Placing Your DNA Matches on Your Tree Ryan Russell, Genetic Genealogist, Open Door Genetics
When you take a DNA test, you'll receive a match list of mostly strangers. Who are these people, and how are you connected? This session discusses strategies for identifying your DNA matches and determining your common ancestors. Whether your goal is to collect more information about your ancestors or break through brick walls on your tree, gaining a better understanding of your DNA matches can lead to new discoveries.

4:00 p.m. – 4:50 p.m. Checking on Czech Immigrants to the United States Heather Mecham, Researcher, FamilySearch
Identifying the town name of an immigrant ancestor is key to discovering Czech roots. Many United States records can reveal an immigrant’s place of origin. This class highlights United States record types key to Czech research. Learn about FamilySearch resources such as Czechia Guided Research which can help locate the correct Czech Archive once a town name is known.

As a bonus, all registrants will get access to watch Visiting the Hill College Texas Heritage Museum with John Versluis, Dean of the Texas Heritage Museum at Hill College

The Genealogy Network of Texas is spearheaded by the Genealogy Center of the Waco-McLennan County Library. Co-sponsors include the Central Texas Genealogical Society, The Genealogy Center and the Texas State Genealogical Society.