The following is a press release issued by the (U.S.) National Archives and Records Administration:

Washington, DC

WHAT: Join National Archives experts for our annual online Genealogy Series on our YouTube channel. This educational series will teach participants how to use federal resources at the National Archives for genealogical research. Sessions are intended for everyone, from beginners to experienced family historians.

Lecture schedule, topic descriptions, videos, and handouts are available at the 2025 Genealogy Series webpage.  

WHEN: May & June 2025—sessions take place on select Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 1 p.m. ET

• May 13: Revealing Ties to Espionage in the Office of Strategic Services Records
• May 21: From the Territory of Montana to the Republic of Vietnam: Researching Native American Veterans in the National Archives, 1881–1966
• June 3: Washington, DC, Law and Order: Cops and Robbers, 1861–1991
• June 11: Disaster Preparedness and Response for Family Collections
• June 17: Researching Immigrant Ancestors: Alien Registration (AR-2) Forms

WHO: National Archives experts in government records will broadcast from facilities nationwide.

• Molly Kamph is an archivist with the Textual Records Division’s Reference and Augmented Processing Branch at the National Archives at College Park, MD.
• Cody White is a Subject Matter Expert for Native American Related Records and an archivist at the National Archives at Denver.
• Kayla Dawkins is a reference archives specialist at the National Archives at St. Louis.
• Rose Buchanan is a Subject Matter Expert for Native American Related Records and a reference archivist at the National Archives in Washington, DC.
• Leo Belleville is an archivist at the National Archives at Chicago.
• M Marie Maxwell is an archivist in the Special Access and FOIA Program at the National Archives at College Park, MD.
• Sara Holmes is a conservator in the St. Louis Preservation and Conservation Branch at the National Archives at St. Louis.
• Sara Leonowitz is a conservator technician in the Conservation Branch at the National Archives in Washington, DC.
• Elizabeth Burnes is a Subject Matter Expert for Immigrant Related Records and an archivist at the National Archives at Kansas City.
• John LeGloahec is an archivist in the Electronic Records Reference Branch at the National Archives at College Park, MD.
   

WHERE: The series will be broadcast on the National Archives YouTube channel. 

HOW: Watch the pre-recorded presentations on the National Archives YouTube channel. During each session's YouTube video premiere, the audience will be able to ask questions, and the presenter will respond in real time. Participants can watch individual sessions, ask questions, and interact with presenters and other family historians. No need to register—just click the links on the schedule to view the sessions! Videos and handouts will remain available after the event. For more details, go to the 2025 Genealogy Series webpage.  

Captioning is available; just select the CC icon at the bottom of the YouTube video. Transcripts are available; send a request to KYR@nara.gov. If you require an alternative or additional accommodation for the event, please email KYR@nara.gov.

 

Space fans are in for a treat after NASA launched a FAST (Free Ad-Supported Television) channel on Prime Video for its NASA+ coverage.

This means you can now watch live rocket launches, behind-the-scenes mission coverage, documentaries, and high-definition space imagery directly through Prime Video, even without a Prime subscription or ads. NASA’s new FAST channel, NASA+, is available on Prime Video in the Live TV or Watch for Free sections. 

Recommended Videos

The move makes NASA’s content more accessible than ever, letting viewers follow space missions, science updates, and cosmic discoveries from almost any device.

“As the agency continues to improve life on Earth and inspire new generations through innovation, exploration, and discovery, NASA+ is dedicated to sharing stories through live launch coverage, original documentaries, family-friendly content, and more,” NASA said in a message on its website this week.

Together with NASA’s new FAST channel, NASA+ is also available to view without a subscription on most major platforms via the NASA app on iOS and Android mobile and tablet devices, as well as streaming media players such as Roku, Apple TV, and Fire TV. Viewers can also stream NASA+ online.

“Streaming NASA+ on multiple platforms allows the agency to more efficiently share its missions, from launching astronauts to the International Space Station, to going behind the scenes with the team that defends Earth against asteroids, to showcasing new, high-definition images of the cosmos,” said Wes Brown, acting associate administrator for the Office of Communications at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “NASA provides an up-close look at how the agency explores the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all by ensuring content is easily accessible and widely available to the public.”

And NASA has plenty for space fans to look forward to over the next 12 months, including the EscaPADE Mars mission that will study the red planet’s magnetosphere after launching on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket; a SpaceX crewed launch (Crew-11) to the space station in July; the next crewed flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft following its last troubled mission; and the first ISS cargo mission of Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser space plane. 

In 2025, FamilySearch is planning to provide more free genealogy records and more fun family experiences. There will also be improvements in FamilySearch records, the FamilySearch website, and FamilySearch apps.

The following is a quick summary of what to expect in 2025. For more details, read the article “What to Expect from FamilySearch in 2025.”

More Genealogy Records

In 2025, FamilySearch will make significant strides in expanding record collections for the countries of France, Germany, Honduras, Italy, Palau, and the Philippines. They will also publish millions of oral genealogies—all searchable.

FamilySearch Artificial Intelligence

FamilySearch will use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to read old handwriting in more languages and improve its ability to suggest lineage-linked data from records.

Full-Text Search

FamilySearch will use AI to convert images of historical handwriting into searchable text

“Get Involved” and Computer-Assisted Indexing

FamilySearch will expand computer-assisted algorithms to index more historical genealogical records than ever before. The Get Involved tab will make it easier and more fun for volunteers to refine the work of the handwriting recognition AI.

More Digital Books

FamilySearch will continue to work with societies and libraries to digitize historical genealogical books accessible for free online in its Digital Library.

New Features in Family Tree

The FamilySearch Family Tree will become more collaborative with the Family Groups feature. You will be able to create private groups of living family members and collect photos, stories, sources, and memories. Your life’s work and family legacy will then be preserved for future generations.

Together

Together, the new mobile and web app, helps you capture important moments in life, such as family events, traditions, hobbies, interests, friends, holidays, and vacations, You can even create your life story as you experience it or later when you reminisce. Built-in prompts help you record your story as you progress through different stages of life.

RootsTech 2025

RootsTech will be held on 6–8 March 2025. Millions will gather virtually and in-person.

FamilySearch Labs

In FamilySearch Labs, you can see and test new features coming in 2025.

The National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque is hosting a free workshop on genealogy next month.

The workshop will provide participants with an opportunity to learn about the descendants of a person, their family, or evolution from an ancestor. 

“Knowing your family’s history, where you come from, really can help to solidify your own identity, especially for some people in New Mexico, where we have all this mixed ancestry,” NHCC Archivist Robin Moses told KRQE in a March interview. “It might not seem important on a surface level, but one’s personal identity, it feels important to explore—who you are, where you came from, and explore the history of those people, the different groups you descent from, might have interacted.”

Moses said attendees will also learn what the center has to offer for research, as well as tips on how to look online. Depending on the group size, the center may bring out collections of past research by other locals to inspire others to do their own genealogical research project.

The next genealogy workshop event will take place on June 12 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Salón Ortega, 1701 4th St. SW. To reserve your spot, click here or call the NHCC Welcome Center at 505-724-4771 for help.

Claims are now open for individuals impacted by DNA-tracking company 23andMe's 2023 data breach, and we've got all the details about how to opt in and how much you might be able to get paid.

The San Francisco-based company, which allows people to submit genetic materials and get a snapshot of their ancestry, announcedin October 2023 that hackers had accessed customer information in a data breach, but the company didn't confirm the full extent of the incident until December. Around half of the company's 14 million people saw their personal information exposed in the leak, which first began in April 2023. 

The lawsuit, filed in January 2024, accused 23andMe of not doing enough to protect its customers. It also accused 23andMe of not notifying certain customers with Chinese or Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry that their data was targeted specifically and spread on the dark web. The company opted to settle the suit for $30 million.

"We have executed a settlement agreement for an aggregate cash payment of $30 million to settle all US claims regarding the 2023 credential stuffing security incident," a 23andMe spokesman told CNET. "We continue to believe this settlement is in the best interest of 23andMe customers, and we look forward to finalizing the agreement."

Now, a few months on, there's finally an official method available for you to make your claim and potentially get paid by 23andMe, in some cases as much as $10,000. Keep reading to get all the details you need, and for more, find out why T-Mobile settlement checks have been delayed and see if you're able to claim a piece of Apple's Siri privacy settlement.

How many people were affected by the 23andMe data breach?

The settlement could cover roughly 6.9 million 23andMe customers whose data was targeted in the leak. To qualify for the proposed settlement, 23andMe users must also have been a US resident on Aug. 11, 2023.

That 6.9 million number includes around 5.5 million users of 23andMe's DNA Relatives profiles, which lets users find and connect with genetic relatives. The other 1.4 million people affected by the breach used another service known as Family Tree, which predicts a family tree based on the DNA users share with relatives, 23andMe said.

How much money could you get as part of the 23andMe settlement?

At the top end, 23andMe has said that it will pay out up to $10,000 with an "Extraordinary Claim" to users who can verify that they suffered hardships as a direct result of their information being stolen in the data breach that resulted in unreimbursed costs. This includes costs resulting from "identity fraud or falsified tax returns," from acquiring physical security systems, or from receiving mental health treatment.

Residents of Alaska, California, Illinois and Oregon who were impacted by the breach can also apply for a payment as part of the proposed settlement, since those states have genetic privacy laws with damages provisions. The payments for these individuals are expected to be around $100, depending on how many people file for them, a settlement document said. 

Also, a smaller subset of affected users whose personal health information was impacted by the breach will be able to apply for a payment of $100.

Infographic credit: Gianmarco Chumbe/CNET; Background image: Jason Doiy/Getty Images

Will the settlement include anything else?

Beyond those payments, 23andMe will also offer impacted users three years of a security monitoring service called Privacy Shield, which filings described as providing "substantial web and dark web monitoring."

How can I apply for the 23andMe settlement?

In order to file a claim electronically, you can do so using this official online portal from the Kroll Restructuring Administration. An additional online form is available if you would like proof of your claim sent to you.

Potential claimants can also download and print out hard copies of the claim form and proof of claim form if they wish to submit them by mail. If you're planning to use this method, send your forms to one of the addresses listed on the official claims website. The deadline to make your claim is July 14.

www.ReclaimTheRecords.orgView this e-mail in your browser our fifty-second we wanna be in the room where it happens newsletter We did it! And YOU guys did it! New York's sneaky attempt to cut off public records access has now been stopped cold... Your e-mails and phone calls to state legislators saved the day! The state budget's awful proposed language -- which would have essentially banned public access to both modern and historical birth, marriage, and death records, and their basic indices -- has now been removed! ...but we're not done yet. We don't just want to play whack-a-mole against these bad bills forever. We want to FIX the state's longstanding records access problems, and make sure this kind of thing never happens again. ...and so we're supporting A BRAND NEW BILL! Hello again from non-profit advocacy group Reclaim The Records, back with some GOOD news, and hopefully also some GREAT news. We defeated "Part U" -- and now we want to modernize New York's vital records access! Last week, the New York State Legislature adopted the Health and Mental Health budget (A3007C / S3007C) without Part U, the awful provision which would have restricted public access to vital records and even their basic text indices. Three months of legislative advocacy -- including some awesome live testimony to the budget committee by one of our very own directors -- meetings with senators’ and assembly members’ offices, and thousands of letters in oppositon put the issue on lawmakers’ radar and resulted in Part U’s demise. We asked for your help, and you delivered! Thank you, thank you! But we also recognize that it's still not enough for us to keep raising the alarm and then squashing these sorts of bad bills, even through direct advocacy and in-person testimony. And New York State has had a huge problem with historical records access for years now, as covered extensively in the state press. It currently takes researchers YEARS to get a single copy of an old and unrestricted and perfectly unremarkable death certificate in New York State. Meanwhile, the state's Department of Health has already put in place internal vendor contracts to digitally scan and index their old vital records, but they don't publish them online. And they also refuse to share both the new digital copies andthe old paper copies of their historical records with the State Archives. New York records access is just a hot mess. But now, we're going to try to FIX IT. Working with our retained legislative counsel in Albany, Reclaim The Records has contributed to draft language and is actively supporting the introduction of a brand new bill, S.7782 by Senator James Skoufis (NY-42). This bill would direct the New York State Department of Health to work with a private partner to finish digitizing all of the state's historical birth, marriage, and death records and put them online with searchable public indexes, matching the policies and access in New York's neighboring states. S.7782 is now in the State Senate; an Assembly companion bill is expected soon. Our immediate goal is to see the bill placed on the Health Committee agenda so that it can be voted into law.  Some excellent reasons to support this bill Right now, we need help from other genealogy organizations in the form of letters of support for this bill emphasizing this bill's key benefits: Transparency and alignment with other states - every one of New York's neighboring states currently provides far better public access to their historical materials than New Yorkers have! Increased access to records will benefit public health, probate processes, and academic research - this isn't just about genealogists! Relief for the existing genealogy request backlog, allowing DOH to meet its obligation to provide public records - the backlog at the DOH for even simple requests is curently several years long! Having this legislation direct them to publish their already-scanned records online would actually help them do their jobs. Minimal compliance costs -- this one's extra-important! The DOH already has multi-year vendor contracts to scan and index their old records; they just have to start sharing the images and data. Here's how to help us pass this bill If you are involved with a genealogy organization who cares about New York history and New York records access, please reach out to our board member Alec Ferretti at alecferretti@reclaimtherecords.org right away so we can coordinate our outreach. There are only a few weeks left of this legislative season, so please confer with the members of your society or organization and talk to Alec ASAP. With focused effort, we can move S.7782 from first reading to the Governor’s desk—and finally give New York a 21st‑century vital records access system. Today we are still just a bill, but tomorrow we could be millions of historical New York records finally set free for public access. Thank you for standing with us. Help Us Keep Fighting – Donate Today! Reclaim The Records is a small but mighty organization that fights for public access to historical records. We don’t take government funding — we rely entirely on grassroots support from people like you. If you believe in open records, transparency, and genealogical rights, please make a donation today. Every dollar goes directly toward legal efforts, public awareness campaigns, and the fight against record closures like this one.  Click here to donate now! Your support helps us keep up the fight. @ReclaimTheRecs Like us on Facebook www.ReclaimTheRecords.org MAKE A DONATION TO RECLAIM THE RECORDS Reclaim The Records is an IRS-recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Our EIN is 81-4985446. Your support helps us keep fighting for more open records!

The following is a press release issued by the (U.S.) Natopnal Archives and Records Administration:

We’re excited to announce a new rotating exhibition series at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC. Opening the Vault, which opened on May 7, 2025, highlights artifacts and objects from landmark moments in American history.   Now on display is General George Washington’s signed Oath of Allegiance to the United States—on display for the first time since 2001!—and other remarkable treasures. Featured Document Display Victory in World War II Day was commemorated on May 8, 2025. A formal instrument of surrender was signed on May 8, 1945, at Berlin to ensure that the war in Europe ended on all fronts. The documents were written in English, Russian, and German.  The “Act of Military Surrender” and the “Kapitulationserklaerung” will be on display at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, through June 11, 2025. Jubilant American soldiers, sailors, and civilians celebrating Germany's unconditional surrender in London, England, May 7, 1945. NAID 531280. View in Catalog

The Northern Territory Police Force, in collaboration with the Australian Federal Police National Missing Persons Coordination Centre, are embracing innovative technology to help solve long-standing missing persons cases.

Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) combines DNA testing with genealogy research to offer fresh hope for cases that have remained unsolved for years, particularly those of unidentified human remains.

The Northern Territory currently have 64 cases of unidentified human remains under investigation with the Cold Case Taskforce. FIGG technology presents a new frontier in forensic science and allows investigators to use genetic data to trace family connections through DNA. The use of genealogy databases is a game-changer, providing families of missing persons a much-needed opportunity to find closure.

FIGG can be particularly effective for cases where traditional investigative methods have not yielded results. The ability to access and cross-reference large, publicly available DNA databases greatly enhances the likelihood of making connections that would otherwise be impossible.

Members of the public who have already submitted their DNA to consumer databases such as Ancestry.com can play a pivotal role in solving cold cases. By downloading your DNA results and uploading them to genealogy databases like GEDmatch or FamilyTreeDNA, you could help solve a case that has left families without answers for years.

Instructions on how to upload DNA results to these databases can be found on their websites:

• GEDmatch - How it Works
• FamilyTreeDNA - Help

The key to achieving success with the use of this cutting-edge technology lies in the support of the community.

As FIGG continues to evolve, it holds promise for solving numerous unresolved missing persons cases across the Northern Territory and beyond. With 64 ongoing cases of unidentified human remains in the NT alone, this new method offers a renewed sense of optimism for those seeking answers.

The Northern Territory Police Force is encouraging members of the public to consider participating, helping to bring answers to families and giving long-term missing persons a chance at being identified.

Republished courtesy of Northern Territory Police Force

Between Friends/Entre Amis: Cousins Across the Border

Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at 2:00 PM EDT

Presented by:

Dave Obee, Genealogical Researcher and Journalist

A FREE Zoom Event Offered by:

The Canadian  eSIG, a genealogical Special Interest Group of the 

Genealogical Society of Collier County 

Uncover Your Cross-Border Family Connections!

Are you facing a brick wall in your genealogical research? The answer may be waiting just across the border! Join us to explore how the rich migration history between Canada and the United States might hold the key to your family mysteries.

About the presentation:

Many genealogists have ancestors who traversed the border between Canada and the US, leaving vital records in both nations. Dave Obee’s presentation explores cross-border migration patterns and practical strategies for finding relatives who have moved across the world’s longest unguarded frontier. You will learn about unique types of records in each country and view successful research that bridged the border to overcome genealogical brick walls.

About the presenter:

Dave Obee, Editor and Publisher of the Times Colonist in Victoria, British Columbia, is an accomplished journalist and genealogist. Since 1997, he has written twelve books and delivered over 700 presentations on genealogy across Canada, the United States, and Australia. The University of Victoria awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws for his contributions as a historian, genealogist, and journalist.

What to expect at this meeting:

• Discussion of historical Canadian-American migration patterns

• Record types unique to each country and how to access them

• Case studies of successful cross-border research

• Tips for finding "lost" relatives who moved across the border

• Resources available in both countries to assist genealogists

Why you should attend:

This presentation is ideal for anyone with Canadian American ancestry. Your ancestors’ stories may be hidden in plain sight. Dave’s expert guidance will provide practical search strategies and insights into how immigrants shaped history on both sides of the border. You’ll also receive a handout with helpful books and websites for further research..

Register today!

Don't miss this opportunity to break through your research barriers and discover new family tree branches.
REGISTER NOW AT: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/gYfv3cnTTOCGSxe-kMMIjg

This presentation is made possible by the financial support of the GSCC and is organized by the Canadian  eSIG, making it accessible to all genealogists.

Visit our websites

Please explore our website for this and other activities hosted by the Canadian  eSIG  https://alsqda.wordpress.com/

The Genealogical Society of Collier County https://thegscc.org

Content from the Miami Citizen (1938-1949), Mami Labor Citizen (1949-1956) and the Labor Citizen (1956-1959) have been digitized and are live in Chronicling America!

Miami’s Central Labor Union decided to begin publishing a newspaper in March 1918, due to lack of publicity in the Miami Herald and the Miami Daily Metropolis. Miami’s only labor newspaper, the Miami News, changed its name to the Miami Citizen in November 1937 to avoid confusion with the Miami Daily News (OCLC 11571391.) As the official newspaper of the Florida Federation of Labor, Central Labor Union, Building Trades Council and Labor’s Citizenship Committee, the Miami Citizen promoted workers’ rights and labor interests. It claimed to be the “Only Labor Paper in Dade County” and was certainly the most widely distributed labor newspaper in the city. In 1949 the newspaper added ‘labor’ to its name and became the Miami Labor Citizen. In 1956 it dropped ‘Miami’ from its name, becoming Labor Citizen, to reflect its broadening geographic scope.  

Miami Citizen nameplate, February 3, 1938.Miami Labor Citizen nameplate, October 27, 1949.Labor Citizen nameplate, April 12, 1956.

From its office in downtown Miami, the Citizen published a weekly four-page newspaper every Thursday. In 1952 the newspaper expanded to eight pages per issue. Labor Day special editions were much longer, some as many as sixty-eight pages. The newspaper benefitted from long running and dedicated publishers and editors. he first publishers in 1918 were E. K. Dahlman, J. M. Sanderson, and Walter Hoyt. Publishers include Gordon H. Russell (?- May 1938), Walter Hoyt (1938-1947), Estate of Walter Hoyt (1948), Charles F. Towle (1948-1957), The Labor Press, Inc.  (1958), and Alpha Publications (1959-?). Named editors include Stephen C. Singleton, who was the first editor in 1918, John R. Livingston (At least 1938-1947) F.J. Reede (1948 – 1949), Herb McCusker (1949-1950 and 1953). Charles F. Towle (1954-at least 1959). In addition to being publisher and editor, he was also business manager of the newspaper and President of The Labor Press, Inc. Mrs. M. E. Roberts was also mentioned as being instrumental to the paper in the late 1940s.

Editor Gordon H. Russell, Miami Citizen, April 28, 1938.

Most of the newspaper’s coverage focused on local unions and trades including but not limited to the Building and Trades Council, retail clerks, Women’s Union Label League, Central labor Union, electricians, Electrician’s Auxiliary, chauffeurs, bakers, musicians, Painter’s Local Union No. 365, Printers, Miami Typographical Union, Women’s Auxiliary to Typographer’s Local Union, and Local 172 National Federation of Post Office Clerks. Much of this content was submitted and managed by the unions themselves in recurring columns, such as the “Paint and Brush” or “Musicians’ Notes” or more complex mini publications such as “Post Office Clerks’ Mail” which had its own editor, mailing address, and volume numbering within the Citizen. 

As the official organ of the Florida Federation of Labor, the Citizen also worked to unite local branches and strengthen labor at the state and national levels. It covered major news from labor organizations throughout Florida, especially in Tampa, and statewide legislation and elections with an emphasis on voter registration and voting initiatives. From late 1940 until early 1942 the Citizen also included a four-page once-monthly “Florida Industrial Forum” section edited by Walter Hoyt which offered deeper coverage of industry, labor, and legislation in Florida as well as the effects of national trends and federal policies on labor and industry in Florida.  

At the national level, the Citizen shared news from the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), the American Federation of Labor (AFL) relating to strikes, new unions, and legislation. In the 1930s there was significant coverage of the New Deal, especially the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and Public Works Administration (PWA). 

After WWII, the amount of news about women in the workforce, including articles written by and for working women significantly increased. From 1949 onwards, the paper regularly includes multiple political cartoons relating to current labor events and policy.