FACEBOOK FLASHES
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Below are items listed currently on our Facebook page, but for continuity, we are posting here for members that are not on Facebook
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From the folks at Conference Keeper.com
Fold3 is providing free access to their collections of WWI & WWI Records until Nov. 16 at midnight MT. You will need to sign in with at least a free account to access documents. https://www.fold3.com/go/free-access
Through November 13, FindMyPast is making most of their military records available completely free, to both access and view. You'll need to sign in with a free account, and after searching, look for the 'Free to view' label, which marks included records. Some military collections and all other record sets are excluded. https://www.findmypast.co.uk/remembrance
Ancestry.uk (the British Ancestry website) is offering free access to global wartime records through November 12 in honor of Remembrance Day. (US users will need to create a free account with AncestryUK to access the collection.) https://www.ancestry.co.uk/c/remembrance-day
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ROOTSTECH SESSION PREVIEW
Rootstech has posted a "sneak peek" of all the new sessions that will be at RootsTech in 2026. Going through this list and planning the courses you're interested in is like going through the Sears Wish Book as a kid! The classes all list whether they are scheduled to be in-person or online, but also says that "this list changes frequently" so be sure to recheck closer to RootsTech before you get your heart set on a schedule. https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/schedule
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FREE NEW ENGLAND TOWN GUIDES
American Ancestors is offering free downloads of their Town Guides for Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. The guides include names of towns, their date incorporated, the names of their 'parent' town, and more. If you research in these states, these guides are a really helpful addition to your toolbox! Download your copy at the following links: Rhode Island Town Guide, Massachusetts Town Guide, New Hampshire Town Guide.
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The 2026 NGS Family History Conference will be held 27-30 May 2026, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In recognition of the Semiquincentennial Anniversary of the signing of United States Declaration of Independence on 4 July 1776, our theme is America at 250. The conference will shine a light on the stories, communities, and research strategies that help us understand the nation’s past. It also will focus on how genealogists can preserve our family histories for the future. Watch for registration to open a little later this year. https://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/
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Genealogy Conferences, Institutes, and Seminars: Summer 2025 - Spring 2026. - https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/genealogy-conferences-2025?fbclid=IwY2xjawM-i41leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETBqWmVHV0d6S2xtUGVRMlJhAR4_dG2NfyX1yGptCUbPJWuqNkZZb0YPpRThE8aLjV1wv8dLF7gA7A6HTrpnqw_aem_hqDh0lMR9q3cwnOH8_ZJrQ
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From the folks at ConferenceKeeper.com
NEW ACCESS TO SUPREME COURT CASES
The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) announced the release of hundreds of historic volumes of U.S. Supreme Court cases dating from 1790–1991. The documents are now available on the GovInfo.gov website, where you can find published information for all three branches of the U.S. Federal Government. You can find out what all documents are available and suggestions on how to best search the collection here.
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If you're ever looking for still more genealogy education videos, be sure to check out the BYU Library Family History Center's YouTube channel. You'll find over one thousand webinar recordings on just about every genealogical topic imaginable. If you go to the "Playlist" tab, they are grouped by topic. https://www.youtube.com/@BYULibraryFamilyHistory/videos​
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INTERNET ARCHIVE NOW A FEDERAL DEPOSITORY LIBRARY
The Internet Archive has officially been granted federal depository status by the US Senate, which means the site will now gain improved access to, and be able to share, government publications and documents. This is really good news for genealogists, as it will make it easier to access government records like census data, historical reports, and other official documents. You can read the announcement from Internet Archive on their blog, here. You can read a more detailed explanation of the Federal Depository Library Program on the US Government Publishing Office website here.
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NEW ACCESS TO SUPREME COURT CASES
The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) announced the release of hundreds of historic volumes of U.S. Supreme Court cases dating from 1790–1991. The documents are now available on the GovInfo.gov website, where you can find published information for all three branches of the U.S. Federal Government. You can find out what all documents are available and suggestions on how to best search the collection here.
1,000+ VIDEOS
If you're ever looking for still more genealogy education videos, be sure to check out the BYU Library Family History Center's YouTube channel. You'll find over one thousand webinar recordings on just about every genealogical topic imaginable. If you go to the "Playlist" tab, they are grouped by topic. https://www.youtube.com/@BYULibraryFamilyHistory/playlists
Library of Congress -
On August 4, 2025, users will automatically be sent from the legacy version of Chronicling America to a new version of Chronicling America with added features and tools. If at any point we are not successful, we will undo the URL redirects. After August 4, the URL chroniclingamerica.loc.gov will continue to be the home of the Chronicling America collection and will permanently redirect people to the new site.
We encourage you to begin using the new site.
Please use the following resources to assist you with using the new site:
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Chronicling America – “The Library of Congress is in the process of upgrading and migrating Chronicling America to a new platform. This upgrade is expected to be finished by August 4, 2025. – read more about it. Be sure to check out the right side of their page. https://tinyurl.com/yjv28wtn
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​How to Calculate Family Relationships: Cousin Chart - The easiest explanation I have ever read yet! https://tinyurl.com/yn2vnfv7
The Aurora Genealogical Society's Genealogical Library is back (and growing). We officially opened Wednesday the 14th of May. Our hours are every Wednesday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm - drop in and visit us at the Aurora Hoffman Heights Branch Library on 1298 Peoria Street, Aurora 80011 on the Lower-Level. Map to Hoffman Heights - https://tinyurl.com/zphxjfrp Not only do we have books and other genealogical reading material, but we also have knowledgeable staff members that can assist you with your genealogical / family history questions and concerns -- we love having visitors, so stop by and visit awhile. https://www.auroragenealogicalsociety.com/
via https://conferencekeeper.org/
1921 TULSA IDENTIFICATION PROJECT
Intermountain Forensics is working with the City of Tulsa to identify victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre through DNA testing. They are seeking help from anyone who may have stories, records, or other information, and especially those who had family members in Tulsa in 1921. You can read more about the project at: https://www.intermountainforensics.com/tulsadnaproject
Another item via https://conferencekeeper.org/
ARCHIVES BEING DIGITIZED -
Ancestry.com is partnering with Getty Images to digitize historical documents, records and the photographic archives of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), which will then become searchable on Ancestry websites. This is part of the HBCU Grant Program at Getty Images. It's quite a win-win, with participating HBCUs retaining full copyright ownership to their assets and data; receiving the digitized files as well as complimentary campus-wide access to Ancestry's platform. You can see over 10,000 images already on Getty Images' website by clicking HERE. Institutions interested in participating can find information at: https://www.gettyimages.com/corporate.../hbcu-partnership
​When did they start having to make Passengers Lists? 1 Jan 1820 – It all starts because of ‘Steerage’ issues. Learn more:
United States passes the Steerage Act of 1819 - https://blog.newspapers.com/united-states-passes-the.../
Immigration Records - https://www.archives.gov/research/immigration/overview.... .
A Guide to Interpreting Passenger List Annotations - https://www.jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/Manifests/
Immigration Act of 1924 Codes on Passenger Arrival Lists -https://www.startresearching.com/.../passenger-lists-pt-2...
More Alien / Immigration / Naturalization information - https://www.auroragenealogicalsociety.com/alien...
AI Research Assistant: Revolutionizing Genealogy
Have you ever wished you could afford to pay for someone to help you do your genealogy research? Now you can have assistance for free with the newest artificial intelligence tool at FamilySearch - AI Research Assistant. This presentation will provide a short introduction to artificial intelligence and then do an in-depth study of what this tool can do. This is a must see for any serious researcher - this is the face of the future. Via Robert Givens. The recording is found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKw-d6_4pgY
MyHeritage has just published a new record collection: United States, World War II Draft Registrations, 1940-1947, with 42 million records of men who registered with the Selective Service System during and immediately following World War II, between 1940 and 1947. Anyone can search the collection for free, but viewing the full record or saving to your tree requires a subscription. You can read all of the details on their blog post: https://tinyurl.com/ysfxbtr6