NGS Conference Registration Now Open, St. Charles, MO, May 2015

Registration for the National Genealogical Society's (NGS) annual conference coming to St. Charles, Missouri, from the 13th to the 16th of May 2015, opened today, 1 December 2014. The conference week is absolutely filled with exciting events, tours, workshops, and lectures. Lecture topics cover a wide variety of subjects and are meant for every level of researcher. Well-known genealogical speakers and many familiar local speakers will be presenting lectures on migration paths, immigration, individual state research, specific ethnic groups, technology, methodology, and much more. If you have not already received a registration booklet, you can download a PDF from the NGS website so you can see the large number of available choices. Find the registration booklet at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/program/

You can register for the entire conference or individual days. On Monday and Tuesday before the conference begins, you can take tours or attend seminars. There are luncheons, banquets, and hands-on workshops during the conference. These special events can be added to your registration for additional fees.

Access the NGS website from the StLGS home page at www.stlgs.org or you can go directly to the conference registration page on the NGS website http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/event-registration/.

St. Louis Genealogical Society is the local host for the conference. If you would like to volunteer to assist during the conference week, please contact us at volunteers@stlgs.org and we will be happy to find some way for you to help out.

Events and Conference Registration

Coming this week . . . two StLGS events:

    Wednesday, 19 November at 7 p.m. at St. Louis County Library Headquarters

     Finding and Using Online Maps

Featuring Bob Goode

From Google Maps to sites that feature interactive maps, the Internet is a great source for discovering migration paths, village locations, family farms, apartment buildings, and much more. Join us for this special meeting on using maps to enhance your research.

Sunday, 23 November at 1 p.m. at the StLGS office in Maplewood

10th Annual Book Jamboree

Featuring local authors who will sell and sign books,
chat, and meet/greet attendees

This is a perfect opportunity to begin holiday shopping for those genealogy and history lovers on your list. Lots of free parking, no jostling crowds, and a wide variety of St. Louis and Missouri-based books to choose from. More information at www.stlgs.org/.

AND . . . 

Counting down to the National Genealogical Society's annual conference

13-16 May 2015 in St. Charles, Missouri

Crossroads of America

The registration booklet is now available both online and at most local genealogy libraries. Click here for a direct link to the new booklet: conference.ngsgenealogy.org/.

Although registration does not begin until 1 December, this is the time to check out the jam-packed week of lectures, hands-on learning opportunities, and special events. Plan out your days and be ready to sign up for this outstanding conference as soon as registration opens. Look for more information in your December News 'n Notes, too!

StLGS Election Results

Thank you to all St. Louis Genealogical Society members who took the time to cast their ballot.

On Saturday, November 1, 2014, the teller committee counted the ballots and reports the following results, bearing in mind, some voters did not mark every item on the ballot.

715 ballots counted
President - Fran Behrman 613; Karen Ridgeway 94
Vice President - Kay Weber 691
Secretary - Karen Goode 691
Bylaws - Yes 661, No 30

The society thanks the teller committee for volunteering to count the ballots. Mary Berthold, Diane Broniec, Ed Dolata, James Dowd, Viki Fagyal, Ann Fleming, Margie Giblin, Carol Hemmersmeier, and Cindy Jacob. A complete accounting of the election will be in the December News 'n Notes.

More Items of Interest for You

 As previously mentioned . . . NARA Virtual Genealogy Fair

28–30 October

A bit more information:

If you live near Jefferson City, Missouri, the Missouri State Archives plans to live-stream this event in the Archives Conference Room on the first floor of the James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center. Sessions are open to the public and will begin at 9 a.m. each day.

     Regardless of where you live, you can still attend online. Archivist of the U.S., David S. Ferriero, will provide opening remarks. Other speakers include experts from National Archives facilities, the historian from the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, and representatives from Ancestry and FamilySearch. Lectures will feature tips and techniques for using federal records at the National Archives for genealogy research. For a full list of topics and presenters, visit www.archives.gov/calendar/genealogy-fair/2014/schedule.html/. 

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Help Save the War of 1812 Pension Files!

We've written about this worthwhile effort before in News 'n Notes, but now there is a new twist. Up through 31 January 2015, the Illinois State Genealogical Society and Ancestry are making matching donations. The ISGS will match your donations dollar for dollar up to $10,000. The Federation of Genealogical Societies and Ancestry will match the total as well, so that any contribution you make in the next few months will be eight times larger than what you contribute!

     If you donate $100, your donation will pay for digitizing almost 1,800 pages of these valuable military records. There are more than 7.2 million pages that need to be preserved, and ISGS is only halfway to spending their $10,000.  Here is your chance to be a hero!

     Go to http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=444 for more information and/or to make a donation online.

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 And Two More Upcoming Talks . . . St. Louis Mercantile Library at UMSL

St. Louis in its Golden Age, 1840–1880 Lecture Series

Sunday, 2 November, 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.

"Cultures of Capital: Entrepreneurial Elites and the Art Worlds of the Gilded Age"

John Ott, art history professor at James Madison University

This lecture requires pre-registration and a fee of $10 for Mercantile Library members; $12 for non-members. Light refreshments will be served. Free parking in the West Drive Garage on campus. For tickets or information, please contact Amanda Schneider at 314-516-7248 or send her an e-mail at amandaschneider@umsl.edu/.

 

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St. Clair County, Illinois Monthly Meeting of the St. Clair Genealogical Society

Thursday, 6 November at 7:30 p.m.

St. Luke's Parish Hall, 226 N. Church St., Belleville

Fred Held, a librarian at the Family History Center in Hazelwood, Missouri, will discuss how different spellings for the same German surname came about and how several family members sharing the same given name can add to the confusion in researching German ancestors.

StLGS Speaker Series Information: Saturday, 18 October

The Fall Speaker Series on Saturday, 18 October, has been changed from Orlando Gardens to the StLGS office. The day will still include four interesting lectures from Dr. David McDonald, CG, as well as morning coffee and a box lunch.

The StLGS office is located in the Sunnen business complex, two stoplights south of Manchester on Big Bend at 4 Sunnen Drive, Suite 140, St. Louis, 63143.

Because of the special event, the office will be closed to non-registered participants on Saturday. Please call the office (314-647-8547) during our regular office hours (9 a.m. till noon) on Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday, if you have any questions.

Three Interesting Upcoming Events in October

Civil War Walking Tour

Bellefontaine Cemetery

• Sunday, 19 October 2014
• 9 a.m. until noon
• Free, but reservations are required. Call 314-381-0750 to register by Sunday, 12 October. Approximate length: three miles.

For more information about free walking tours, bus tours, and other special events at beautiful Bellefontaine Cemetery, go to www.bellefontainecemetery.org/events/.

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"A Tale of Two Histories"
Sister Joan Whittemore
Hear about Sister Joan's ancestors, who arrived with Pierre Laclede and Auguste Chouteau to establish St. Louis in February 1764 and their connections to the history of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.

• Also featuring StLGS president, Fran Behrman, and SLCL reference librarian, Larry Franke, who can answer your questions about genealogy.
• Wednesday, 22 October, 6 p.m.
• Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet Motherhouse, 6400 Minnesota Ave., St. Louis, 63111
• Free, but registration is required. Call 314-481-8800 or send an e-mail to motherhousersvp@csjsl.org by Wednesday, 15 October.

For more information, go to http://togetherinfaithseries.com/2014/01/02/a-tale-of-two-histories-2/

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2014 NARA Virtual Genealogy Fair

• Tuesday through Thursday, 28–30 October
• Beginning at 9 a.m. (Central Time)
• Free and open to anyone with an Internet connection
• Live streaming lectures featuring experts from around the country
• Video and question/answer opportunities with NARA personnel
• Download the complete schedule as a PDF on the NARA website.

For more information, go to www.archives.gov/calendar/genealogy-fair/

Genealogy TV

Tuesday night, 23 September 2014, KETC, Channel 9, began airing the new season of Dr. Henry Louis Gates's fascinating series, Finding Your Roots. The episode featured actress Gloria Reuben, actor Courtney Vance, and author Stephen King, and Dr. Gates was able to reveal information to all of them about their origins. Of particular note was Gloria Reuben, whose Jamaican slave ancestry was traceable directly to Africa, something rarely accomplished in African-American genealogical searches.

If you missed this first episode, you can still watch it online. Go to http://www.pbs.org/wnet/finding-your-roots/ to watch the show in its entirety.

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The new season of Who Do You Think You Are has been playing out on TLC, a cable channel. In the past, their website has offered the series for free, but this year, they seem mostly to have short clips. However, the full episodes have been uploaded to YouTube, where they can be enjoyed by all. If you have not been able to watch on your television, you can still find the series on your computer. Go to http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=who+do+you+think+you+are+season+5 to find all of this season's shows. You can also find the British and Australian versions of the show, so you can indulge your curiosity about such international stars as J. K. Rowling and Jeremy Irons.

St. Louis County Library Obtains Rare Swiss Genealogy Records

The following is a news release from St. Louis County Library . . .

St. Louis County Library is excited to announce the recent acquisition of church and other records from Canton Bern, Switzerland. The German and French records, on 847 rolls of high-quality microfilm, feature birth, marriage, and death information from the 16th to 19th centuries. The microfilm can be viewed in the History and Genealogy Department at the St. Louis County Library Headquarters located at 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd.

The original records, held by the State Archives of Bern, offer information difficult to obtain in the U.S. Researchers are free to view the records and print copies as needed. The History and Genealogy department also offers a knowledgeable staff that can assist researchers in using the microfilm set. Microfilm rolls and their contents are listed in the St. Louis County Library catalog. A finding aid to the collection is available in the History and Genealogy Department.

Purchase of the microfilm set was made possible with funds from the William C. E. and Bessie K. Becker Collection, established in 2014. Mr. Becker, a civil engineer, is remembered for designing the Jewel Box in Forest Park. The couple's surviving children and grandchildren made the donation specifically to enhance the library's genealogical holdings. The Swiss microfilms join other Becker Collection sources for researching German and Irish ancestry.

For more information, contact the St. Louis County Library History and Genealogy Department at 314-994-3300, ext. 2070, by email at genealogy@slcl.org, or see the library's website at www.slcl.org.

StLGS German Special Interest Group Announces 2015 Schedule

The St. Louis Genealogical Society's German Special Interest Group, with Carol Whitton, CG, as its new coordinator, has an exciting schedule planned for next year. All meetings will be held at St. Louis County Library Headquarters, in the auditorium, from 7 p.m. until 8:45. Doors open at 6:45 p.m.

Grab that new 2015 calendar and mark the following dates for G-SIG meetings, as you won't want to miss any of them.

Wednesday, 21 January 2015: "What's New in the German Collection at St. Louis County Library?" featuring Scott Holl, manager of the History and Genealogy Department

Wednesday, 18 March 2015: "European Migration Patterns" featuring Ilene Murray, StLGS publications director

Wednesday, 17 June 2015: Open House at the StLGS Office; visit the office and get help with your roadblocks and translations.

Wednesday, 16 September 2015: "Get Organized: Find Your Missing Germans," featuring Carol Whitton, StLGS research projects director and G-SIG coordinator

More information on these programs will be posted on the StLGS website and on the G-SIG flyer now available at the office and at monthly meetings.

"Who Do You Think You Are?" with a Missouri Connection Debuts Wednesday

In the last issue of News 'n Notes, we mentioned that the new season of Who Do You Think You Are? starts on Wednesday, 23 July on TLC. What we did not know at the time is this season debut also features the Missouri State Archives and actress Cynthia Nixon's connection to Missouri.

In a press release last week, the Archives shared, "The Friends of the Missouri State Archives are excited to announce the Archives’ involvement in the season premiere of TLC’s Who Do You Think You Are? The episode features Cynthia Nixon, best known for her role as Miranda Hobbes in Sex in the City, as she 'meets an ancestor forced to use the most extreme measures to stay alive.' Archives staff helped gather historic records and provided a venue for the episode’s filming."


You can watch this hour-long look into Ms. Nixon's ancestry on TLC, Wednesday, 23 July, from 8 to 9 p.m. Or check out http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/who-do-you-think-you-are for online viewing.

StLGS July Office Closures

Just a brief note to let you know that the StLGS office will be closed for several dates in July.

Saturday, 5 July for the July 4th holiday weekend

AND

Tuesday and Thursday, 15 and 17 July, for the St. Louis Research Institute

Saturday, 26 July for the Summer Speaker Series

Although the Research Institute is full, there is still time to register for the Speaker Series. We hope you can join us to hear German genealogy expert, Roger Minert, for a full-day workshop and lunch. As always, there is more information and you can register on our website www.stlgs.org/.

Coming Up in June

You are invited to the grand opening of an exhibit called "Catholic St. Louis 250"!

Help the St. Louis Archdiocese Office of Archives and Records to celebrate the 250th birthday of St. Louis and the 800th birthday of St. Louis IX, King of France and the city's namesake. Come explore the rich history of the Archdiocese of St. Louis from the early French settlers to the present. Refreshments will be served.

Thursday, 19 June, from 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.

Rosati Museum, first floor of the Cardinal Rigali Center

20 Archbishop May Drive, Shrewsbury, MO 63119

If you can't make it to the opening, the museum will be open to visitors 

on Wednesday afternoons, from noon until 4 p.m

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Caught in the Draft: Conscription Records of World War I

Saturday, 21 June, 10:30 a.m. until noon

St. Louis Public Library, 1301 Olive St., Training Room, 2nd floor

Join reference librarian, Tom Pearson, for this free class covering books, manuscripts, microfilm, and Internet sources for information on draft laws and records from World War I. To register, contact Tom at tpearson@slpl.org.

Introduction to Czech (Bohemian) Genealogical Research

For those of you with Czech (Bohemian) ancestors, here is a chance to learn more about this interesting avenue of research. You are invited to a free two-hour workshop, sponsored by the Czech School Board, on Tuesday, 3 June 2014 from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.

The presentation will include the following topics:

1.  Family and Home Sources
2. The Czech Immigrant Split in America (Czech Catholic Church and Czech Freethinker Movement)
3. Czech Language
4. Czech Surnames
5. Czech Language Publications (including how to find your ancestors when you don't read the language)

The workshop will take place at the American-Czech Educational Center, 4690 Lansdowne Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63116. For questions, contact Marcella at helenxyz@att.net.

Valhalla Cemetery Plans Remembrance Ceremony for Forgotten Veterans

On Saturday, 24 May, at 10:00 a.m., Valhalla Cemetery will transfer the remains of twenty-two

veterans who had died, been cremated, and then abandoned at the cemetery since 1924. These previously unclaimed ashes will be taken to Jefferson Barracks where they will finally be put to rest with long overdue full military honors. Everyone is invited to take part in this moving ceremony.

The South County U.S. Marine Corps League Color Guard/Rifle Team, the Boeing Concert Band and the Boeing Balladeers, and Don Gerspach, the Missouri Coordinator of the Missing in America Project, will be featured in the ceremony.

The cemetery is located at 7500 St. Charles Rock Road in St. Louis. Please bring a lawn chair for your comfort. For more information, call 314-863-3011.

Seafaring Ancestors?

If you are in the St. Louis area, Research Librarian, Tom Pearson, invites you to his class on "Old Salts: Researching Your Seafaring Ancestors" at the St. Louis Public Library on Saturday, 17 May, from 10:30 a.m. until noon.

Tom will discuss books, manuscripts, microfilm, and Internet sources of information on those who served in the U.S. Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine. The class will be held at the downtown library in the training room on the second floor.

Parking downtown is now metered on Saturdays but the library owns a lot at 15th and Olive, behind the Campbell House, which is a block or two away, and that lot is free to library patrons. You will need to pick up a token at one of the entrances to the library so you can exit the lot without paying.

To register or for more information, contact Tom at tpearson@slpl.org.

Incredible Raffle Prizes for the 2014 FHC!

Have you registered yet for the 44th annual StLGS Family History Conference? The early registration date is coming this weekend, Saturday, 12 April. Of course, you can register after that date, but why not save yourself $10 by registering now?

As if a whole day of fabulous lectures and shopping for genealogy treats isn't enough, this year's raffle table is stocked with amazing goodies. Here's what we have for you . . .

1. Two (2) one-year world-wide subscriptions to Ancestry.com donated by Ancestry.com
2. A one-year membership to the National Genealogical Society (NGS) donated by NGS
3. Four hours of research time donated by Dan Vornberg, an expert on German and Irish research 
4. Five films from the collection of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City to be sent to Special Collections at St. Louis County Library, where they will remain on permanent loan (two lucky winners!) donated by one of our generous volunteers.

You can buy your raffle tickets in the lobby at the registration table on Saturday, 26 April, when you arrive or throughout the morning hours. Winners' names will be drawn after lunch.

Ready to register? Click here to go to our website, where you can click on the FHC button and sign yourself up. If you prefer to mail in your form, remember that Saturday, 12 April is the deadline for early registration.

Learn About Early St. Louis Fur Trading This Weekend

This Saturday, 5 April, the grounds of the Chatillon-DeMenil mansion in St. Louis will be transformed into a replica of a late-eighteenth century fur trappers' encampment complete with demonstrations, storytelling, children's activities, displays, and much more. Guests will get a chance to ask questions, interact with the re-enactors, learn about the artifacts the trappers used, and see what life was like for these intrepid early Americans. At 1:30 p.m., the newly renovated carriage house will be the location for a lecture on the history and the impact of fur trading in St. Louis. This free event begins at 11 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. and will be fun for the whole family.

You can find more information about the day's activities on the Chatillon-DeMenil website http://www.demenil.org/. Click on the link on the right that says, "April 5 Educational Event."

The house is located on the south side of St. Louis at 3352 DeMenil Place, close to Utah Street and Interstate 55. If you scroll down to the bottom left of the home page and click on the address link, it will open to a Google map.

Book Reviewers Needed

Do you like to read? Can you do it critically but fairly and with an eye towards what might be helpful to fellow genealogists? If so, we really could use you to help with book reviews for our Quarterly journal. We have a backlog of books that need reviewing right now and would like to move those books off the pile and onto the library shelves for people to use. But we can't do that until they are reviewed, so everyone knows we have them and what they contain.




Here is what is available:

• 1804 Tax Assessment, Baltimore County, Maryland by Michael A. Ports
• Finding Your Irish Ancestors in New York City by Joseph Buggy
• Dictionary of Americanized French-Canadian Names: Onomastics and Genealogy by Marc Picard
• The Cincinnati Germans after the Great War by Don Heinrich Tolzmann
• O'Sullivan (O Suillebhain) the Earliest Irish Royal Family, History and Genealogy, 3rd edition, by William Randolph McCreight
• Genealogy at a Glance Series: Civil War Research by Nancy Hendrickson
• Genealogy at a Glance Series: Cherokee Genealogy Research by Myra Vanderpool Gormley
• Genealogy at a Glance Series: Italian Genealogy Research by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack
• Genealogy at a Glance Series: Court Records by Wendy Bebout Elliott
• The Speth/Spaeth and Braun Families by Sandra M. BrunsmannHughes
• Ebbets: The History and Genealogy of a New York Family, revised edition, by Edward E. Steele

If you can help out, please contact our archivist, Dan Kerckhoff, at archivist@stlgs.org and he will give you directions on how to submit your review. You will need to come into the office to pick up and return the book, but all your writing and your submission can be done electronically. Thank you!

Good Things Come in Threes . .

And we've got three nifty things to tell you about today.

First, Saturday was the inaugural of the St. Louis Ancestor Treasure Hunt at our StLGS office. We had a full house, and thanks to the many enthusiastic volunteers on hand to help (and to VP-Programs Ken Webb for organizing everything), it was a great experience for everyone. Being able to sit with an experienced researcher for more than an hour and work on getting started or overcoming a brick wall seemed to be just what most people needed. We hope it stimulated more interest in StLGS and in genealogy in general, and we look forward to the next session.
     Did you miss out? Not a problem, as we have three more Saturdays scheduled. You can register for Saturday, 14 June, Saturday, 12 July, or Saturday, 9 August from 10 a.m. until 11:30 or 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. You can sign up directly from our website www.stlgs.org. Just click on the "Treasure Hunt" button, download a flyer, and send it in.

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Second, are you a "mature adult" who happens to be a member of AARP? If so, they recently announced a very nice discount on subscriptions to Ancestry.com for AARP members. If you are interested, you can save 30% on a World Explorer membership for one year. Existing Ancestry subscriptions can be extended with the discount for one year. If you are interested, go to aarpdiscounts.com/ancestry3 for all the details.

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Finally, if you are looking for ways to preserve your genealogy and live in the vicinity of Belleville, Illinois, you may want to attend the St. Clair County Genealogical Society meeting on Thursday, 3 April at 7:30 p.m. at St. Luke's Parish Hall, 226 N. Church Street, in Belleville. Featured speaker, Larry Darnell, will present "Publishing for Posterity: Saving Your Research for Future Generations," with lots of tips on how to preserve your countless hours of family research. This meeting is free and open to everyone. More information on the society's website www.stclair-ilgs.org. 

 

St. Patrick's Day and the StLGS FHC

Céad mile fáilte!

This traditional Irish greeting, meaning a hundred thousand welcomes, seems a good way to wish you all a happy St. Patrick's Day. Did you know that according to the U.S. census bureau, there are more than 34 million Americans who claim Irish ancestry? That number is more than seven times the population of Ireland, which only has 4.6 million inhabitants! Want to see a map with current U.S. Irish population statistics? Try this: http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/pdf/cb14-ff02_st_patricks.pdf?eml=gd&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.

This seems like a particularly good time to remind everyone of our upcoming Family History Conference featuring David Rencher, Chief Genealogical Officer for FamilySearch and an expert in Irish genealogy. In addition to presenting two talks on technology in the morning, David will talk about online resources for doing Irish research in two talks in the afternoon. Joining David will be an impressive array of speakers from repositories and local societies speaking on a variety of topics from "Getting Genealogical Websites to Work for You" to "Let Your Computer Help Organize Your Data." Of course, there will be vendors, raffles, and door prizes! You can buy a delicious box lunch for $10 or visit one of the many restaurants in the area for lunch. You may want to stay around, however, to meet Charlie Brennan, local author and radio personality, as he presents a special treat during the noon hour.

This year's conference is at the Maryland Heights Centre on Saturday, 26 April. You can register online and download a copy of the conference program on the StLGS website www.stlgs.org. Hope to see you there!

StLGS Trivia Night Coming Soon!

One of the highlights of our late winter schedule is always the annual Trivia Night, coming this year on Friday, 7 March, at the Maryland Heights Centre, 2344 McKelvey Road. This is such a fun-filled event, a chance to eat, drink, and show off your knowledge of all things weird and wonderful. You don't have to be an expert on anything, just have lots of odd facts stored in your head, as most of us do.

The night begins at 6:15, when early arriving folks set up their trays filled with nibblies, their mood lighting, their libations, their good luck charms and table mascots, and then sit back to chat with others before the action begins. There is always time, too, to check out the tables filled with awesome silent auction items, usually beautifully decorated baskets filled with outstanding goodies
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At 7 p.m., the night officially begins, and that's when the juices start flowing and the real fun begins. Whether you are a die-hard trivia fan or have just come to have a good time, you will not be disappointed as the competition heats up. In addition to the rounds of trivia questions, we feature 50/50, Heads or Tails, and Dead or Alive games, and your registration fee includes soft drinks and snacks as well. And did we mention lots of cash prizes for our winners?

You can register for a full table of eight people or you can come in ones, twos, or more and we will seat you with some new friends. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to support St. Louis Genealogical Society while you have an enjoyable evening (and maybe win some great prizes for yourself)! We hope to see you there.

To register for the 2014 Trivia Night, go to www.stlgs.org or send in the order form from the registration booklet you received in your January News 'n Notes.

Missouri State Archives Releases 1963 Death Certificates

With the help of many volunteers throughout the state, who flocked to help when the call for indexers went out, the Missouri State Archives has released the images of state death certificates from 1963, all newly indexed and ready for you to find your loved ones. What a lovely treat for this Valentine's Day weekend! Have fun searching!

Celebrate Black History Month!

In honor of Black History Month, the St. Louis Public Library and Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville announce some special programs:

To mark the fiftieth anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, St. Louis Public Library presents a four-part series of film screenings and facilitated discussions called "Created Equal: America's Civil Rights Struggle, Part II."

The first events are next week, with the screening of a movie called "Slavery By Another Name," which documents the new forms of forced labor that kept thousands of African-Americans in chains until the onset of World War II.

Monday, 10 February

6:30 p.m., St. Louis Public Library, 1301 Olive St., Auditorium

The following day, you are invited to attend a conversation on slavery at the library led by Dr. Olubukola Gbadegesin, from St. Louis University.

Tuesday, 11 February

6:30 p.m., St. Louis Public Library, 1301 Olive St., Carnegie Room

Both events are free and require no pre-registration. More information on from Tom Pearson, 314-539-0385.

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For those of you in Illinois, a lecture entitled "Genealogy, Know Your Roots," featuring author and family historian, Bernice Bennett, will focus on the role DNA plays in genealogy. Ms. Bennett will discuss the types of DNA tests available and how to integrate DNA results into your genealogy. Some DNA testing kits will be given away to attendees.

Tuesday, 11 February

11:00 a.m.

Morris University Center/Mississippi-Illinois Room

Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville

This is a free event and does not require pre-registration. More information from Anee Korme, 618-650-2689.

Classes in Illinois

If you live in or near Belleville or Edwardsville, Illinois, you may want to catch St. Louis Public Library's Reference Librarian, Tom Pearson, when he presents the same interesting class for two different groups. Tom's topic is "The Price is Right: The Genealogist's Guide to Free Stuff on the Internet." Both meetings are free and open to all.

Tom will show you sites where you can find free digitized books, newspapers, magazines, forms and charts, clip art, images and photographs, maps, music, and podcasts. He will also discuss sites you can use to create free blogs and websites.

On Thursday, 6 February, Tom will present his talk at the St. Clair County Genealogical Society's monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the St. Luke Parish Center, 226 North Church St. in Belleville. More information on the St. Clair County Genealogical Society on their website www.stclair-ilgs.org/.

The following week, on Thursday, 13 February, Tom will give the same talk to the Madison County Genealogical Society. This meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Edwardsville Public Library, 112 S. Kansas St. in Edwardsville. More information on the Madison County Genealogical Society on their website www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilmadcgs/.

And, if you can't make it to these two Illinois locations, Tom is giving this talk at the St. Louis Public Library on Saturday, 22 March, at 10:30 a.m. in the Training Room on the 2nd floor of the downtown branch at 1301 Olive. This talk is free, but pre-registration is suggested. You can contact Tom at tpearson@slpl.org .

Researcher Forum at NARA St. Louis

The National Archives at St. Louis is hosting a Winter Public Researcher Forum on Wednesday, 29 January from 4 to 5:30 p.m. This free event will take place at the new facility, 1 Archives Drive (1829 Dunn Road), St. Louis, MO 63138.

The archives staff will discuss a series of records now open to the public, including: Air Force Publications from 1940 to 1968, Officer Flight Records from 1911 to 1958, Air Force Drop Cards from 1947 to 1969, Army Clinical Record Cover Sheets from 1906 to 1959, and Army and Air Force Enlistment/Induction Ledgers from 1947 to 1960. Preservation staff will be on hand to discuss digitization projects and answer questions.

Although this event is free, the staff does require pre-registration. Please send an e-mail to <stlpublic.programs@nara.gov> and use "Researcher Forum" as your subject, or call Wanda Williams at 314-801-0847.

To enter the facility, participants must have a current photo ID and go through a security check. There is ample free parking in front of the building.

For more information or for any questions, please contact Whitney Mahar, manager of the research room, at <Whitney.Mahar@nara.gov> or 314-801-9069.

NARA Kansas City Workshops in January

Happy New Year, everyone! For our friends who live in the Kansas City area, the National Archives there has a special treat for you. Please accept our apologies, though, for telling you about it so late, but the holidays and the severe winter weather made it difficult to get the word out sooner.

Every Wednesday, starting on 8 January through 29 January, the National Archives in Kansas City will host a workshop in a series entitled, "Centuries of Service: Exploring Military Records for Genealogy." Attend all four classes to receive a certificate of completion. The workshops will be held from 10:00–11:30 a.m. at the National Archives at Kansas City, 400 West Pershing Road, Kansas City, Missouri.

Centuries of Service: Exploring Military Records for Genealogy
Workshop Descriptions:

Wednesday, 8 January from 10:00–11:30 a.m.
Fighting the Red Coats: Records from the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812
The young republic spent eleven years battling the British in two wars between the years 1775–1815. During these conflicts and the tense period between the formal wars, young soldiers stepped up and answered the call to protect the new nation. Discover the variety of records documenting your ancestor’s military experience, and ways to access them.

Wednesday, 15 January from 10:00–11:30 a.m.
Growing Pains: Exploring Resources for Mid-19th Century American Conflicts
Following the War of 1812, the United States endured a period of rapid expansion and upheaval. Conflicts exploded first with Native American tribes in the southeast, then with Mexico, and finally as the nation split in two during the Civil War. This class examines military records created during the mid-19th century, from service records and pension files, to more detailed records on units in combat, as well as instructions on how to access these records.

Wednesday, 22 January from 10:00–11:30 a.m.
Turn of the Century Conflicts: Spanish-American War, Philippine Insurrection, and World War I
At the end of the 19th and into the 20th century, the battlefields moved from the continental United States to international soil. Beginning with the Spanish American War, leading to the Philippine Insurrection, and culminating in World War I, our ancestors left the United States to serve American causes abroad. Learn about the records that tell these stories.

Wednesday, 29 January from 10:00–11:30 a.m.
A World Torn Apart: World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War
Though these wars were international in scope, the United States military created records during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War that provide insight into the units and individuals who served. This class explores how to order service records, identify online resources, and understand privacy restrictions.

To make a reservation for these free events, please call 816-268-8000 or e-mail <kansascity.archives@nara.gov>.  

The National Archives at Kansas City is one of fifteen facilities nationwide where the public can access federal archival records. It is home to historical records dating from the 1820s to the 1990s created or received by federal agencies in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. For more information, call 816-268-8000 or visit <www.archives.gov/kansas-city>. 

The StLGS office will be closed on Tuesday, 7 January 2014.