2017 FGS National Conference Call for Presentations

Deadline for submissions is 1 June 2016. 

We are very excited to announce that presentation proposals are now being received for the FGS 2017 Conference, “Building Bridges to the Past,” to be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania August 30 – September 2, 2017. The conference will be held in cooperation with the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society as local host. The deadline for submission of presentation proposals is Wednesday, 1 June 2016.

“Building Bridges to the Past” references not only the many bridges in Pittsburgh, but the bridges between old world and new, as well as our journeys to discover our past. Topics related to methodology and research skills are always welcomed, in addition to content-specific areas, such as:

• Military: Revolutionary War, War of 1812, American Civil War, Indian Wars, World War I, World War II, colonial and frontier wars.

• Migration: Europe to North America; naturalization records; passenger lists; ports of entry; to and through the Mid-Atlantic; migration trails and routes (Braddock Road, National Road, Great Wagon Road); refugee resettlement.

• Immigrant Origins: Great Britain and the former British Empire; Germany and other German-speaking countries; Eastern and Central Europe; the Mediterranean/Adriatic Basin; the Scandinavian countries; Latin American research.

• African-American Research: Reconstructing families; free persons of color; identifying slave owners; slavery in Colonial America, including Pennsylvania; African-American newspapers and other lesser-used sources; anti-slavery movements; migration and after the Civil War.

• Occupations & Work: Farmers, carpenters, glassworkers, iron/steelworkers, coal miners, brewers/distillers, boatmen, firefighters/police, railroaders, canal builders, laborers and factory hands; women in the workforce; unions, guilds and apprenticeships; smugglers, bootleggers and other illicit trades.

• Religions, Adherents and Records: Quaker, Jewish, Orthodox, Catholic, Amish, Moravian, Mennonite, Presbyterian, and other Protestant traditions and records; religious colonization’s and refugee movements; Pogrom and Holocaust survivors and research; Mormon/LDS; utopian communities; peace churches, pacifists and conscientious objectors; convents, monasteries and cloistered communities.

• Regional research: Research in Pennsylvania and nearby states—Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, West Virginia; archival collections; research repositories in the Mid-Atlantic; college and university research collections; migration destinations from Pennsylvania, such as the Midwest and the Carolinas.

• Genetics & DNA: the basics of DNA research; autosomal studies and advanced analysis; testing procedures; ethical considerations; adoptions; forensic and expert work; case studies.

• Skills, Abilities & General Knowledge: Beginning research techniques; evidence analysis; online resources and tools; wikis; collaboration techniques and etiquette; terminology; comparative analysis; units of measure, trade and currency; time, calendars and dates; writing a family history; publishing; creating websites, blogs and vlogs; earning genealogical credentials.

• Society Management: Use of technology by and for societies; adaption to change; internal and external communication; meeting changing member needs and member engagement; membership growth; education projects and events; society leadership; fundraising; team building; volunteers; implementing large projects.

The program committee specifically seeks new and dynamic proposals that will provide exceptional learning experiences for conference attendees. Different formats in addition to the traditional lecture format are encouraged. (Sessions still must fit into a one-hour time slot.) Proposals for workshops and sponsored sessions are encouraged.

Multiple proposals (more than four) are welcome and encouraged, as most chosen to speak will be engaged for more than one presentation. There is no limit on the number of proposals a speaker may submit.

Submission Requirements

Speaker submissions and deadlines for the FGS 2017 Conference reflect the implementation of an online submission system. Interested parties must submit all presentation proposals using the online forms. The Call for Presentations is now open and will close on Wednesday, 1 June 2016. This deadline is for all proposal submissions, including sponsored presentations.

Compensation

Selected speakers receive an honorarium, travel compensation, and conference registration as well as per diem and hotel nights based on the number of presentations given. (Sponsored speakers only receive conference registration and syllabus materials. See more about sponsorships below.) Non-sponsored speakers receive compensation according to the FGS Conference Speaker Policy.

Sponsored Presentations

Societies and businesses are encouraged to submit proposals for sponsored talks by the stated deadline for proposal submission. The sponsoring organization will cover its speaker's costs to present the presentation. Sponsored speakers are expected to abide by all speaker deadlines and syllabus requirements. Sponsored speakers will receive complimentary FGS conference registration and electronic syllabus materials.

Additional Information

Invitations will be issued in Fall 2016. Contracts and syllabus format guidelines will be sent to speakers at that time. Camera-ready handouts are required for each presentation or workshop presentation and will be compiled in a syllabus distributed to conference participants. The deadline for submissions of syllabus materials is 27 March 2017.

Email questions to program2017@fgs.org. 

Student Genealogy Grant Applications Invited

An announcement from FGS Member Society, Southern California Genealogical Society:

Student Genealogy Grant Applications Invited

The Suzanne Winsor Freeman Memorial Student Genealogy Grant Committee and the Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree are pleased to announce the 2016 Student Grant and Jamboree Scholarship. Student genealogists between the ages of 18 and 23 are eligible to apply for the $500 cash award and full registration scholarship for the 2016 SCGS Jamboree to be held in Burbank, California June 3-5, 2016.

The Student Grant was established in 2010 by family and friends in memory of Suzanne Winsor Freeman, family historian and life-long volunteer, and an enthusiastic annual attendee at the SCGS Jamboree. The 2016 Southern California Genealogy Jamboree sponsored by the Southern California Genealogical Society will provide a full conference registration to the SCGS Jamboree in June where the award will be presented. This is a unique opportunity for a young genealogist to attend a premiere regional conference and meet genealogists from throughout the nation.

Past recipients include Elyse Doerflinger (Lomita, California), A.C. Ivory (Salt Lake City, Utah), Anthony Ray (Palmdale, California), Michael Savoca (Toms River, New Jersey), and Paul Woodbury (Provo, Utah).

“The Student Genealogy Grant pays tribute to Suzanne Freeman’s dedication to youth volunteerism and family history by awarding the annual cash grant to a young genealogist attending the SCGS Annual Genealogy Jamboree, Southern California’s premiere regional genealogy conference,” notes Denise Levenick, committee chair and Freeman’s daughter.

“We are especially grateful to Jamboree for providing a three-day conference registration to the grant recipient,” she adds. “SCGS is truly a leader in conference organizations by encouraging youth involvement in genealogy through the student conference scholarship.”

Born in Olathe, Kansas, Suzanne Winsor (Brown) Freeman moved to Orange County, California with her family in the early 1930s where she attended school and lived most of her life. She developed a strong interest in family history sparked by the stories of her mother’s early life in Colorado and Kansas. After retirement Suzanne moved to Green Valley, Arizona where she was active in the local genealogy society. She enjoyed returning to Southern California each year in June to attend the SCGS Jamboree. Suzanne passed away after a brief illness in Tucson, Arizona August 28, 2010.

The $500 cash award pays tribute to these interests by awarding the annual cash grant to a young genealogist attending the Jamboree. In addition, a student scholarship for conference registration to the Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree will be provided by the Jamboree conference.

Any genealogist who is between the ages of 18 and 23 as of June 2, 2016 and a current student (full-time or part-time) is eligible to apply. The award will be presented at the Jamboree Scholarship Breakfast Sunday, June 5, 2016; the recipient must be present to receive the award. See the Grant Application for eligibility details.

Funding for the cash award is provided by the family grant program; Jamboree registration is provided by the conference. Individual contributions to the grant program are welcome at the Student Grant Webpage.

Application deadline is March 20, 2016 midnight Pacific Daylight Time.

Application details and forms are available at the Student Grant Webpage   http://www.thefamilycurator.com/swf-grant. Suzanne Winsor Freeman’s Obituary is available here. 

Show Your Volunteers Gratitude, Nominate Them for an FGS Award

The winter holidays are over and genealogical societies are returning to regular activities. To accomplish all that each society must do requires many dedicated volunteers. Does your group recognize those volunteers? Who are the tireless volunteers that give of their time year after year? Did one volunteer complete a spectacular project in the last year? Are you aware of an organization that does great things for its members?
                                             
Each year at the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Conference, awards are presented to genealogical societies and individuals for outstanding or notable service to the genealogical community. This year many awards will be presented during the August 31-September 3, 2016 FGS Conference in Springfield, Illinois. These awards and others presented during the year are announced in FGS publications. It’s a great way to let a wide audience know about your organization, activities, and volunteers.

You are encouraged to nominate individuals or societies to receive these awards of recognition. You know the societies and the people who make up those organizations. You know the activities and projects that an individual or society has successfully undertaken.

A full list of award categories is on the FGS website. We encourage everyone to make a nomination. You do not need to belong to a FGS member organization in order to make a nomination. More information about the awards and a link to a submission form can be found at the FGS website. Nominations may be made at any time, but to be considered for the conference in August 2016, the nominations must be received by 15 July 2016.

These are the people, the societies, and the activities FGS desires to recognize and thank with these awards.

Registration Opens for OGS' Genealogy on the Cutting Edge Conference in Toronto

If you have roots in Canada that you've been "meaning to explore" more, then this conference is going to be on your "must-do" list. This year, FGS Member Society Ontario Genealogical Society is holding their annual conference in Toronto, June 3-5, 2016, called "Genealogy on the Cutting Edge."

The conference will offer a content-rich program packed with plenary and concurrent sessions; exciting pre-Conference tours, research trips and workshops; a 10,000 square foot Expo Hall; and, of course, plenty of opportunities to mingle with other family historians.

Some of the highlights of "Genealogy on the Cutting Edge" include:

• Popular genealogy speakers including Judy Russell (a.k.a. The Legal Genealogist), CeCe Moore, (a.k.a., Your Genetic Genealogist), Lisa Louise Cooke (Genealogy Gems); and Dr. Maurice Gleeson (UK-based genetic genealogist). However, if you have Canadian roots, you'll want to check out their complete list of speakers to see the breadth of the expertise on their program. And speaking of the program, check it out as well to see the depth of knowledge being shared.
• Exciting field trips: Hands-on Excursion to the Archives of Ontario; "Downton Excursion" for escorted visits to local libraries and archives for research; behind-the-laboratory doors for an exclusive guided tour of a DNA lab at The Center for Applied Genomics; and a chance to spend the day at Spadina's Museum, a.k.a., Toronto's "Downton Abbey." 

The early-bird discount deadline is March 15, but registering as soon as possible to ensure a spot in limited enrolment activities is strongly recommended. For full details about the program, speakers and schedule, as well as online registration, please visit the Conference website.