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Wednesday, January 12, 7 p.m. CST
21st Century Italian Genealogy (Online) Presented by Michael Cassara

There has never been a better time to do Italian genealogical research! With more and more records now online, genealogist Michael Cassara will provide a strong overview for the beginning researcher while including some lesser-known resources that will be of interest to even the most advanced researchers.

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Wednesday, January 26, 11 a.m. CST
An Introduction to Heraldry for Genealogists (Online) Presented by David B. Appleton

Coats of arms—inherited graphic designs on a shield—have been used as signals of personal identity from the Middle Ages to the present.
We’ll briefly review the history of heraldry from its earliest days until now. You will learn the various parts of a heraldic “achievement” and what clues they may hold for genealogists, discover ways to identify coats of arms, and find ways to use heraldry yourself. We will also explain two common misconceptions about heraldry.

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Wednesday, February 9, 7 p.m. CST
Warrants & Patents & Deeds, Oh My! (Online) Presented by Dr. Daniel Hubbard

You may think that land records are the “scariest” records in genealogy, but it doesn’t take much courage to find much more in them than that your ancestor owned some land. Dr. Daniel Hubbard will show you some of the treasures you can find in land records, the process of acquiring and selling land and the documents produced. We will also look at the ways that your ancestors’ land was specified, the metes and bounds system and the rectangular survey system.

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Wednesday, February 23, 11 a.m. CST
The Heralds Visitations, an Often Overlooked Genealogical Resource (Virtual) Presented by David B. Appleton

The heralds’ visitations of England recorded not only who could bear certain titles of rank and coats of arms (and some who couldn’t) but also family lineages. Historian and genealogist David B. Appleton will guide you through the process behind heralds’ visitations, when and why they took place, their methods, the genealogical and heraldic information they may contain, and most importantly, where the published visitations, their indexes and related records can be found.

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Wednesday, March 9, 7 p.m. CST
We’re All Related! Searching for our Most Recent Common Ancestor (In person) Presented by Michelle Bray Wilson

In genetic genealogy, the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of any set of individuals is the most recent individual from which all the people in the group are directly descended. Genealogist Michelle Wilson will show you how to use DNA tools and research to narrow down genetic information to identify a specific ancestor.

Wednesday, March 23, 11 a.m. CST
Translating Latin Records (Online) Presented by Jean Wilcox Hibben

Latin has been the traditional language used for the records of the Catholic Church. Focusing on records written before the early 1900s, Dr. Jean Wilcox Hibben will show you how how to decipher the basic terms and identify the types of records found.

Wednesday, April 13, 7 p.m. CST
European and U.S. Newspapers and Directories (In person) Presented by Jacquie Schattner

Genealogist Jacqueline Schattner will show you how to find stories, birth, marriage and death announcements, including children whose births or deaths occurred between censuses. Directories provide occupations, places of birth, deaths and family relationships. A list of 75 newspaper and directory websites from both the United States and Europe will be provided.

Wednesday, April 27, 11 a.m. CST
23andMe DNA Tests and Tools, In-Depth (Online) Presented by Glenn York

In this presentation, genealogist Glenn York presents an overview of 23andMe DNA. This lecture will explore the results and the tools provided by 23andMe on how to analyze your autosomal DNA results.

Wednesday, May 11, 7 p.m. CST
Researching Pennsylvania Ancestors – Part 1 (In person) Presented by Jennifer Warner

Genealogist Jennifer Warner will show you how to effectively research your Pennsylvania ancestors using various online resources, books, and records. This is part one of a two-part session.

Wednesday, May 25, 11 a.m. CST
Chronicling America: A Newspaper Site for Everyone (Online) Presented by Dana Ann Palmer

Did you know one of the largest collections of free newspapers online is hosted by the Library of Congress? Genealogist Dana Ann Palmer will show you search and browse techniques to find your elusive ancestors in the newspapers on Chronicling America.

Wednesday, June 8, 7 p.m. CST
Louisiana’s Legacy (In person) Presented by Anita Boyd

Her husband’s activities in the Abolitionist Movement were legendary, but Louisiana Bell’s own tale of freedom was extraordinary. Genealogist Anita Boyd will present an overview of the Illinois Servitude and Emancipation Records database and learn how to locate and obtain copies of actual records.

Wednesday, June 22, 11 a.m. CST
Tweaking the Big Three (Online) Presented by Suz Bates

Think you’ve exhausted the records on all the major genealogy websites? No way! Each of the major genealogy websites uses its own search techniques and methodologies, which can change the way you see results. Genealogist Suz Bates will show you the uniquely different and uncommonly effective ways to search on the big three databases sites of Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and MyHeritage.com.

Wednesday, July 13, 7 p.m. CST
Making German Transcription & Translation as Easy as 1, 2, 3 (In person) Presented by Dan Jungclas

German typeface and handwriting styles make up the majority of German research documents from the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries. Genealogist Dan Junglcas will lead a lecture on the differences between transcription and translation and how to master them by teaching yourself the fine art of German scripts.

Wednesday, July 27, 11 a.m. CST
What the Heck Does That Say? The Challenge of Difficult Handwriting (Online) Presented by Pam Vestal

Whether you struggle to navigate colonial penmanship that doesn’t even look like English or wrestle with contemporary documents that are poorly written, a few good strategies can make all the difference. Genealogist Pam Vestal will demonstrate more than 20 techniques to help you figure out what the chicken scratches on the page say, as well as what the style of writing might reveal about our ancestors.

Wednesday, August 10, 7 p.m. CST
What’s New on the Internet for Genealogists? (In person) Presented by Caron Primas Brennan

This fast-paced presentation is a review of popular, new, little-known, and perhaps unusual genealogy resources on the internet to help you in your research. Genealogist Caron Primas Brennan will present a review of new resources, websites, and tools now available online that will help make your family history research easier and more fun.

Wednesday, August 24, 11 a.m. CST
Researching African American Ancestors Who Came Out of Slavery (Online) Presented by LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson

Genealogist LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson will introduce attendees to a variety of Federal and state sources to help you identify formerly enslaved ancestors. In addition to referencing other commonly used pre-1870 and antebellum records, the lecture will highlight the important legal and historical context and interpretive guidance of particular relevance to African-Americans.

Wednesday, September 14, 7 p.m. CST
Researching Pennsylvania Ancestors – Part 2 (In person) Presented by Jennifer Warner

Genealogist Jennifer Warner will show you how to effectively research your Pennsylvania ancestors using various online resources, books, and records. This is part two of a two-part session.

Wednesday, September 28, 11 a.m. CST
Shaky Leaf Syndrome (Online) Presented by Sara Cochran

Indexing, optical character recognition, and computer algorithms make finding obscure records about our families easier than ever! Unfortunately, computers can’t distinguish between people of the same name who lived in different places or at different times. The Skeleton Whisperer Sarah Cochran will lead a lecture using real examples to practice evaluating hints and attaching the keepers to our trees.

Wednesday, October 12, 7 p.m. CST
A is for Archives (Online) Presented by Tina Beaird

Are you planning a genealogy research trip? Tina will walk you through the types of Archives and what each collects, as well as the planning process of visiting archives and repositories. She’ll prepare you for the important questions; who to contact, what to bring, where to research, when to go, and why bother?

Wednesday, October 26, 11 a.m. CST
Was Your Ancestor Accused of Being a Witch?: Exploring the Colonial New England Witchcraft Trials (Online) Presented by Karen A. Fortin

We have been fascinated by the stories of the New England witchcraft trials, particularly those in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692, for hundreds of years. In this lecture presented by Karen Fortin, we will explore what happened and what our ancestors believed and try to explain why these events took place.

Wednesday, November 9, 7 p.m. CST
Exploring Chicago Collections (Online) Presented by Kate Flynn

Chicago Collections is a consortium of more than 45 libraries, museums, historical societies and other cultural heritage organizations collaborating to preserve and promote the history of the Chicago region. In this lecture, Chicago Collections Portal Manager Kate Flynn will provide an overview of the resources available on the site, how to maximize your online visit and highlight some of the must-see collections available to researchers.

Wednesday, November 16, 11 a.m. CST
Tracing Your Ancestors Through Revolutionary México (Online) Presented by Lisa Medina

Learn about sources and methodologies for tracing your own ancestors in revolutionary Mexico. Genealogist Lisa Medina will share the story of Atala Apodaca Anaya and her achievements as a female revolutionary during the early 20th century, as well as those of other lesser-known figures from the Revolución Mexicana, and how to use these stories to research your own family story.