Organize Your Family History

Stay focused and happy while exploring your roots

LeVar Burton’s RootsTech 2017 talk now available for viewing

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I attended RootsTech in February and one of my favorite keynotes was the one given by LeVar Burton, the original Kunta Kinte in Roots, the 1977 landmark mini-series. Roots aired on eight consecutive nights when I was in junior high and it made a huge impression on me.

I was really excited to hear him speak and I was not disappointed. The keynote was funny and moving and profound. I am not a crier and he brought tears to my eyes. I planned to share a link to my blog readers so you all could enjoy it and was disappointed that a speech wasn’t available for later viewing.

So I was delighted today to get an email saying that speech has been made available for viewing!

You can watch it here on the RootsTech website. In the 25-minute talk,  “LeVar Burton shares powerful thoughts on equality, race, history, and self-perception.” During the talk he himself cried. It was really moving. I urge you to watch.

Organizing interview on Amy Johnson Crow’s blog

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When I was at RootsTech, I had the honor of being interviewed by professional genealogist and blogger Amy Johnson Crow. Amy is a terrific blogger (and interviewer!). I really enjoyed talking with her.

Amy interviewed me in the Media Hub Booth, a fancy sound-proof booth smack in the middle of the Expo. Professional technicians recorded the video, so the quality is terrific.

I thought you might enjoy the interview.

Please check out Amy’s blog, if you’re not already reading it. She always shares great information and insights!

Some RootsTech sessions available to watch on demand

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If you weren’t able to attend RootsTech or watch the Live Stream of certain RootsTech sessions, you now have the chance to watch most of those sessions on demand (and a few more). I was disappointed to see that LeVar Burton’s Friday keynote isn’t available. It was a terrific speech that was very moving.

RootsTech has made it easy to click and watch the videos. Here’s the list. (Click on the day name to get access to the videos for that day.) There are a few I wasn’t able to attend that I plan to watch!

Wednesday, February 8

Innovator Summit General Session (Full session or individual speeches)
Speakers: Steve Rockwood, Liz Wiseman

Industry Trends and Outlook panel
Speakers: Ben Bennett; Craig Bott, Grow Utah; Heather Holmes, TapGenes; Nick Jones, JRNL, Inc.; Robert Kehrer, FamilySearch

Innovation—Best Practices and Applications
Speaker: Cydni Tetro

Innovator Showdown Semi-Final
Speakers: Innovator Showdown Semi-Finalists

Metadata—Writing on the Back of Digital Photos
Speaker: Alison Taylor, Pictures and Stories

Thursday, February 9

RootsTech General Session (full session and individual keynotes)
Speakers: Steve Rockwood, Jonathan and Drew Scott, Steve Rockwood & MyHeritage

Getting Started in Genealogy
Speaker: Kelli Bergheimer

DNA: The Glue That Holds Families Together
Speaker: Diahan Southard, Your DNA Guide

DNA Matching on MyHeritage
Speaker: Dana Drutman

Jewish Genealogy: Where to Look and What’s Available
Speaker: Lara Diamond

My Ancestors are in My DNA!
Speaker: Angie Bush

Family History Is Anything but Boring
Speakers: Crystal Farish and Rhonna Farrer

Friday, February 10

RootsTech General Session: African Heritage presentations
Speakers: Kenyatta Berry, Sherri Camp, Melvin Collier

Innovator Showdown Finals
Speakers: Jason Hewlett & Innovator Showdown Finalists

Mothers, Daughters, Wives: Tracing Female Lines
Speaker: Judy G. Russell

Censational Census Strategies
Speaker: Mary Kircher Roddy

Next Steps in British Research
Speaker: Amy Harris

Big 4: Comparing Ancestry, findmypast, FamilySearch, and MyHeritage
Speaker: Sunny Morton

You Found It Where? Unusual Records
Speakers: Rorey Cathcart, D. Joshua Taylor, Rich Venezia

Cross the Atlantic with Religious Records
Speaker: Jen Baldwin

How to Preserve Your Family Heirlooms
Speakers: Anna Graff, Jennifer Hadley, Katie Smith, Andrew Thomas, Tyler Thorsted

Saturday, February 11

RootsTech General Session (full session and individual keynotes)
Speakers: Cece Moore, Buddy Valastro

Journaling Principles That Work
Speaker: Steve Reed, JRNL, Inc.

Don’t Just Be a Searcher, Be a Researcher
Speaker: Crista Cowan, Ancestry

Creating Google Alerts for Your Genealogy
Speaker: Katherine R. Willson

Making good use of my time at the Family History Library

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An aisle of microfilm at the Family History Library

I leave for Salt Lake City on Wednesday, to attend the RootsTech conference. I arrive noonish and have decided to spend the afternoon and early evening at the Family History Library. I’m finding myself wishing I’d opted to go a day early to research, but I didn’t, so I’m trying to make good use of the fairly narrow window of time at the library.

I’m really fortunate because professional genealogist and Organize Your Family History reader Maria Tello has offered to meet me at the library and get me oriented and off to the right start. Thank you, Maria!

I’m looking to keep myself focused on one nuclear family; I have some questions I’d like to get answered. But I don’t want to have such tunnel vision that I might miss out on opportunities to learn about other families.

I’m wondering if any of my readers have any advice for me. I bet I’ll be there five hours or so. I’ll have my laptop. Is there anything you think I should bring along? Anything at the library that is not to be missed? Any pitfalls to try to avoid? I’ve been there once before, when I attended RootsTech in 2014. I remember being unfocused and overwhelmed and hope it will be different this time!

Also, if you’re attending RootsTech and would like to meet up, please comment here or send me a note from the Contact page. I’ve always had such a great time meeting readers!

A final note: Tuesday I’ll be posting my next installment of my How They Do It series. Keep an eye out!