October is Family History month and as a follow-up to my Genealogy Blog Party post a week or so ago, I realized that I needed to share another, lesser known, resource for some free genealogy education.
I am a long time member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, which, yes, is a fee membership. The society’s online website is the well-known AmericanAncestors.
What I think many don’t realize is that American Ancestors offers monthly online lectures that are free and open to the public.
There is an Events tab on the website’s home page. Click on that and scroll way WAY down to:
Now, click on the Go to Events Calendar and upcoming lectures which are open for registration will appear. Don’t be put off by the ones that have required fees.
Generally speaking (not an absolute!), if the event is described as a SEMINAR, there is a fee. However, When described as a LECTURE, attendance is mostly free, but there are some exceptions.
The latest issue of my American Ancestors Magazine recently arrived with a full calendar of upcoming events, all the way through August of 2023!
Here are the free lectures on the schedule:
November 2022
Nov. 10; Migrations from New England To and Thru New York
Nov. 17: GEDmatch Basics
December 2022
Dec. 1: What’s New at American Ancestors
Dec. 8- Stories from the Archives: Family Recipes
January 2023
Jan. 19: Basics of Jewish Genealogy
Jan. 26: Deciphering Old Handwriting
February 2023
Feb. 2: Getting started in Scottish Reseach
Feb. 9: DNA Consultations at American Ancestors
Feb. 10: Weston Park: The House, the Families, and the Influence
Feb. 16: Using the Great Migration Databases on AmericanAncestors.org
Feb. 17: The Houses of Parliament, 1086-2086
March 2023
Mar. 23: What’s new at American Ancestors
April 2023
Apr. 6: Pennsylvania Genealogy: Go-To Published Resources
Apr. 7: Murray Pittock with Scotland the Global History, 1603 to the Present
Apr. 14: Neoclassical Berlin
Apr. 20: Searching Journals on AmericanAncestors.org
May 2023
May 11: Huguenot Family History Resources
May 25: Getting Started in Lithuanian Family History Research
June 2023
June 8: What’s New at American Ancestors
June 15: Understanding Calendar Systems in Family History Research
July 2023
July 6: Researching Black Patriots and Loyalists During the American Revolution
July7: Stories from English Country Houses
July 20: Getting Started in Ohio Research
August 2023
Aug. 10: Stories from the Archives: Scrapbooks
Aug. 24: Applying to Revolutionary War Lineage Societies
You might notice that there is quite a mix of topics in this FREE list! In addition to traditional genealogical topics, American Ancestors has a few self-promotional lectures, e.g. What’s New at American Ancestors, but they often have frequent talks on historical homes and places, particularly in the U.K. However, I see one coming up in April on Neoclassical Berlin, which I am guessing will be on German architecture in the city of Berlin.
I often attend these free lectures, even when I think I already know a lot about a specific technique or location. However, I have to admit I ALWAYS come away with at least one new idea or resource to check out.
One important fact to remember, though, is that American Ancestors event registration generally opens just one month before the scheduled lecture. So, right now, November events can be booked, but nothing further in advance of that.