June 10-15, 2012

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Visiting Samford

Monday June 11, 2012

• The Library of Congress: An Introduction and Overview for Genealogists
  
  The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., is one of the country's greatest repositories for genealogical research. Yet, because it is dauntingly large and requires on-site research, it tends to be underutilized. This lecture takes the mystery and trepidation out of using our national library and demonstrates the tremendous benefits of making a research trip to Washington. It sketches the institution's history, describes the formalities for using it, and highlights-one reading room at a time-the innumerable and often unique treasures it holds. The extraordinary Web site of the Library of Congress is explored, and practical suggestions are made by someone who worked part-time at the library for twenty years.
  
  
  • Presented by John Philip Colletta
  • 6:00-7:15 p.m.
  • Christenberry Planetarium, Propst Hall

• Americans Abroad: Consular Records of the State Department
  
  In addition to diplomats, military personnel, or those abroad on official or semi-official assignments, Americans abroad-particularly in the nineteenth century, but also earlier-included many "ordinary" citizens: merchants, business men and women, middle-class travelers, naturalized citizens returning to their native countries, students, missionaries, artists, and others. Often circumstances caused them to seek assistance or support of the federal government while abroad. In such situations, as they interacted with the American government through its embassies or consulates, they created records, many with genealogical value. Those records are part of the State Department records in Record Group 59 at the National Archives. They begin as early as 1789 and continue to the present.
  
  The presentation cites mostly records created in U.S. consular offices in France. However the examples are illustrative of similar records created in any other countries with which the U.S. had diplomatic relations-and thus had consulates where such records were created.
  
  
  • Presented by Claire Bettag
  • 6:00-7:15 p.m.
  • Auditorium, Brooks Hall

• Certification: Procedures, Questions, and Answers
  
  
  • Presented by Thomas Jones and Elissa Powell
    
  • 6:00 - 7:15 p.m.
    
  • Brock Forum, Dwight Beeson Hall
    

• The 17,000,000 Stories of Ellis Island:What's Fact? What's Myth?
  
  Ellis Island occupies a mythical place in the history of our nation. And rightly so! But many myths and misconceptions about the place persist, distorting genealogical research and reporting. This lecture puts Ellis Island into its proper place in the larger context of U.S. immigration history, and in so doing, sets the record straight as to what's fact and what's myth.
  
  
  • Presented by John Philip Colletta
  • 6:00 - 7:15 p.m.
    
  • Auditorium, Brooks Hall
    

• Genealogical Research: Online Resources - for Free!
  
  In the economically challenged world we are in today, free is good! There are many choice websites that have digital images, databases, text files, etc. available free to use. The presenter will provide the attendees with insight into what is in store for them when they search some of the popular, and some so not well known, free websites available to them.
  
  
  • Presented by C. Ann Staley
  • 6:00 - 7:15 p.m.
    
  • Brock Forum, Dwight Beeson Hall
    

• Using the Genealogical Proof Standard to Research Slave Community
  
  The Genealogical Proof Standard provides a measuring stick to evaluate the validity of your conclusions. By allowing the Proof Standard to guide your research, you can be sure that your research is as accurate as possible.
  
  During the Haitian Revolution in the 1790s, many planters fled the French colony Saint-Domingue (Haiti) for the United States. The Vincendiere family settled in Frederick County, Maryland, on land now part of Monocacy National Battlefied (a National Park), bringing several slaves with them. Within a few years, they owned several dozen slaves.
  
  This case study will show how the Genealogical Proof Standard was used to research the slaves owned by the Vincendieres, from Saint-Domingue to Maryland, South Carolina, and Louisiana.
  
  
  • Presented by Michael Hait
  • 6:00 - 7:15 p.m.
    
  • Auditorium, Brooks Hall
    

• TBA
  
  
  • Banquet Speaker: Larry H. Spruill
  • 6:30 p.m.
    
  • Cafeteria, University Center