NOTE: The following article does not contain any genealogy-related information. 

The following is a Plus Edition article written by and copyright by Dick Eastman. 

Planning a Europen (or other foreign) vacation this year? You might be aware that using a U.S. cell phone while traveling to other countries (or vice-versa) usually will either be (1.) impossible or (2.) very expensive. Some American cell phones don't work at all in other countries. The North American cell phones that do work overseas use the Global System for Mobile Communications (usually abbreviated to GSM) protocol; but, using North American GSM phones in foreign countries can be very expensive. 

In short, here is the situation for most American cell phone owners

1. A CDMA cell phone purchased from a U.S. company  generally will not work in Europe, the British Isles, nor in many other European countries. These are CDMA phones, a system not used in Europe, the British Isles, not in many other countries. 
   
2. A GSM cell phone purchased from T-Mobile, AT&T, Rogers (in Canada) and a few other cellular companies should work in Europe, the British Isles and many other foreign countries as these are GSM phones, the same standard used in most other countries. However, leaving the original SIM card in the phone will usually result in high roaming charges. 
   
3. An unlocked GSM phone purchased from a third-party should work at reasonable prices in Europe, the British Isles, Australia, New Zealand, and many other countries if you purchase a local SIM card in that country. This will work only on UNLOCKED GSM phones which often are not sold by the North American cell phone companies.

See the note below about “dual mode” phones that are capable of operating on both GSM and CDMA networks.

All of the solutions I will describe do cost money. The casual traveler who is planning a single trip overseas may find it cheaper to simply carry a normal GSM cell phone purchased from a North American cell phone company and to pay the roaming charges for calls placed or received while traveling. However, for the frequent traveler, or the person who makes a lot of phone calls, or the person who wishes to give a cell phone to a child or grandchild who will study abroad for a semester or longer, the following ideas could save hundreds of dollars in unnecessary expenses. Another solution is to wait until you arrive in Europe (or elsewhere) and then purchase a local cell phone there. However, for a short trip, that may be the most expensive solution of all. 

First, U.S. cell phones operate on one of two different standards: GSM or CDMA. GSM is the cell phone standard used throughout Europe, the British Isles, Australia, New Zealand, and in mother countries. However, in the U.S., only AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM. Most others (with a few exceptions) use CDMA. The two standards do not work with each other's cell towers. GSM phones can only communicate with GSM cell towers, and CDMA phones can only communicate with CDMA towers. 

GSM is the standard in Europe, and is one of several protocols available in North and South America, Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Caribbean. GSM is the best choice for global travelers who want to take their phone when they go abroad. Sadly, several U.S. cell phone companies’ phones do not use GSM and therefore will not make a connection in many overseas countries. Even those that do use GSM, they may be “locked” to only work on one particular (North American) network and therefore will be useless when overseas.

NOTE: You can purchase a special (and more expensive) dual-mode phone that operates on both GSM and CDMA. Dual mode phones are available at rather high prices from several companies. 

With GSM phones, all the information about your cell phone number and the provider you use is stored in a plug-in SIM card. If you can swap SIM cards, your GSM phone then switches instantly to the provider of the new SIM card. Switching to a new SIM card also provides a new phone number, one that is assigned to the country where the SIM card was purchased. However, not all GSM phones allow for swapping SIM cards because the phones are “locked” to only one network..

In contrast, converting a CDMA cell phone to a different provider is considerably more complex. With CDMA, it is cheaper and easier to purchase a new phone than to convert an existing unit.

You would think that simply purchasing a GSM phone before you leave on your trip would give you everything you need, right? Unfortunately, the more cost-effective solution is a bit complex. To be sure, all the GSM phones will work in Europe and in many other places, although the cell phone companies in those countries will charge high roaming charges if you use the SIM card that came with the phone purchased in the U.S. from AT&T or T-Mobile.

In the U.S. and Canada, most cell phone companies only sell phones that are "locked" to their own networks. This is even true for GSM phones. If you purchase a GSM phone from AT&T, it will only operate if an AT&T SIM card is inserted in the phone. The same is true for T-Mobile phones: a GSM phone from T-Mobile purchased in the U.S. normally only works when a T-Mobile SIM card is used. If you insert a SIM card from any other cell phone provider, an error message will be displayed and the phone will not work. However, GSM phones purchased from third-party merchants often are “unlocked.” That is, they will operate properly with a SIM card from any cell phone company.

Both the AT&T and T-Mobile phones are true GSM phones, so you can take them overseas and make phone calls with them, even with the original SIM card in the phone. You can also receive incoming calls that were placed to your U.S. phone cell phone number. However, you will normally pay roaming charges for use of the cell phone with your “home” SIM card while in another country. The roaming charges vary from country to country, but they can be as high as $2 a minute or more in some places.

NOTE: The first time I took my new GSM phone to England and used it frequently, my next monthly bill was for mode than $300 (U.S.) for “roaming charges.”

Luckily, you can purchase "unlocked" GSM cell phones from a number of vendors – just not from a cell phone company. I have seen unlocked GSM cell phones sell for as little as $20 although that is probably for a cheap and cheesy phone that may not work well. There are a lot of cheap cell phones with marginal performance sold in third-world countries, and they occasionally show up in the American market as well. I'd suggest purchasing only well-known, reliable brands of phones, such as Motorola, Nokia, Apple, LG, Samsung, HTC, Kyocera, Google, Sanyo, and others. If you have any doubt about the phone you are considering, you might want to enter its model number followed by the word “review” in Google to find reviews of that model written by previous purchasers.

The remainder of this article is reserved for Plus Edition subscribers only. If you have a Plus Edition subscription, you may read the full article at: 

https://eogn.com/(*)-Plus-Edition-News-Articles/13222374.

If you are not yet a Plus Edition subscriber, you can learn more about such subscriptions and even upgrade to a Plus Edition subscription immediately at https://eogn.com/page-18077. 

The following announcement was written by TheGenealogist:

A new release of records by family history website TheGenealogist allows English, Scottish and Welsh family historians to discover useful information on a myriad of people. From ancestors who were writers, artists, actors and many other professions, this collection opens up the lives of these people for the researcher. 

Using entries recorded in a number of biographical resources Diamond subscribers of TheGenealogist can fill in gaps with tantalising facts about the person. Facts which can lead on to all sorts of other records and avenues for investigation.

[Biographical Records from TheGenealogist]

The name rich resources that make up this release augment TheGenealogist’s already extensive Occupational Records. Fully searchable by name or keyword from TheGenealogist’s Master Search, the new records come from a variety of publications, including:

• Contemporary Biographies at the Opening of the 20th Century, Volume I
  
• Contemporary Biographies at the Opening of the 20th Century Volume II
  
• The Green Room Book 1907
  
• The Dramatic List 1879
  
• The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook 1908
  
• The Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography 1863
  

Researchers can use these records to fill in gaps in the lives of individuals, discover stories and anecdotes about the person, read facts which may lead you on to research other records and point you towards more avenues for investigation.

To learn more about how this collection of records helped us in the research of A Child Actress who Managed The Prince of Wales’s Royal Theatre read our article here:

https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2023/a-child-actress-who-managed-the-prince-of-waless-royal-theatre-2051/

About TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist is an award-winning online family history website, who put a wealth of information at the fingertips of family historians. Their approach is to bring hard to use physical records to life online with easy to use interfaces such as their Tithe and newly released Lloyd George Domesday collections. 

TheGenealogist’s innovative SmartSearch technology links records together to help you find your ancestors more easily. TheGenealogist is one of the leading providers of online family history records. Along with the standard Birth, Marriage, Death and Census records, they also have significant collections of Parish and Nonconformist records, PCC Will Records, Irish Records, Military records, Occupations, Newspaper record collections amongst many others.

TheGenealogist uses the latest technology to help you bring your family history to life. Use TheGenealogist to find your ancestors today!

NOTE: This article is not about any of the "normal" topics of this newsletter: genealogy, history, current affairs, DNA, and related topics. However, it is about a method of insuring your online privacy.

You say you don't mind if Google, Facebook, tour internet service provider (ISP), and dozens of other online services spy on everything you do online? If so, you might skip this article.

However, I will suggest that anyone who is concerned about online spying should read this article.

From an article by icon Thomas Claburn published in TheRegister web site:

The Tor Browser, which strives to provide anonymity online rather than the limited data sharing internet companies call "privacy," has reached version 12.5, a milestone that brings usability and accessibility improvements alongside attention to legacy issues.

The name Tor stands for "The Onion Router" and refers to a method of network communication developed back in 2002 that uses encryption and multiple relay nodes in an effort to keep the user anonymous.

"The aim of Tor is to improve your privacy by sending your traffic through a series of proxies," the Tor Project explains on its website. "Your communication is encrypted in multiple layers and routed via multiple hops through the Tor network to the final receiver."

The Tor Browser, based on the Extended Support Release of Mozilla's Firefox, provides a way to connect to the Tor network. It makes an effort to provide – but does not guarantee – anonymity. It does so by: making the user's internet traffic appear to come from a different IP address, thus obscuring the user's location; preventing someone watching your local traffic (e.g. your ISP) from seeing or limiting your website visits; and routing connections through multiple relays.

The Tor Browser and associated onion services are often used by journalists, human rights advocates, and others in adversarial environments where the threat model goes beyond marketers. Criminals may do so too, but as the Tor Project argues, they have better options.

Other browsers also support connection through the Tor network, such as Orbot, Onion Browser and Brave.

You can read more at: https://www.theregister.com/2023/06/25/tor_browser_update_improves_interface/.

The Tor Project (and browser) is available at: https://www.torproject.org/.

The following announcement was written by the H’ART Museum:

Amsterdam’s Hermitage Museum, once the largest satellite of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, will change its name into H’ART Museum. Last Monday, the museum announced that its new identity will come into effect on September 1.

The Centre Pompidou in Paris, London’s British Museum, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. will become H’ART Museum’s new partners and plans for major exhibitions in collaboration with these museums over the coming three years are already underway. Upcoming programs with the new partner institutions may involve art loans as well as various kinds of collaborations with curators and artists.

Logo of the new H’ART Museum

The rebranding and repositioning came more than a year after the Amsterdam museum cut ties with its parent museum in March 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Founded in 2009, the Hermitage Amsterdam was originally established as an independent non-profit but it had “unlimited rights” to borrow works from the Russian collection.

Upcoming highlights include an exhibition in collaboration with the Leiden Collection, in which all seventeen Rembrandts from the privately held collection will be displayed together publicly for the first time. That show will take place in 2025, to celebrate the 750th anniversary of Amsterdam. An exhibition on Kandinsky (organized with Centre Pompidou) is scheduled for 2024 and The British Museum’s exhibition Feminine Powerwill travel to H’ART in 2026.

The following announcement was written by Findmypast:

This week sees an exciting batch of 10,406,256 new records from Britain, North America, and beyond.

Canada Census 1931

Findmypast is delighted to announce the addition of the 1931 Canadian Census this week, with 234,606 images now available to browse. This joins our wide selection of existing census records from across Britain, Ireland, and the Commonwealth, which already includes the 1921 Census of England and Wales, the 1880 US Census and so much more.

This valuable collection is a highly detailed account of the population which was taken on 1 June 1931. At this time, Canada's population stood at 10.3 million. It is the seventh comprehensive census taken in Canada since confederation in 1867 and was recorded in both English and French.

Those with Canadian relatives can expect to learn key information about their households from this census. Each return includes the names of each family member, their address, a description of their home (whether it was owned or rented, the number of rooms, and even whether or not it contained a radio), birth dates and places, nationality and racial origins, languages spoken, education and work information, and religious denomination. 

Details may also include the head of household's annual earnings, whether or not they immigrated to Canada, and when they were naturalised. If a person was unemployed, the return will include information like the length of time out of work and the reason for unemployment.

When exploring these browse-only records, narrow your results down by province, registration district, and sub-district, and you can even input optional keywords.

Challenges and Duels

The new Challenges and Duels set recounts 1,855 honour-based challenges that have been waged and fought throughout history.

This unique collection is taken from the research of Lorenzo Sabine, in particular his book Notes on Duels and Duelling (1855) which recorded almost 2,000 duels and challenges that took place in England, Ireland, the United States, as well some in Scotland and France.

Each entry is fully searchable, by name, place, and year. The details included in these records vary. While some entries include just a name (or two names, of both parties involved), place and date, others are rich in historical context and feature a description of the challenge or duel and its outcome.

New York, St Lukes Evangelical Lutheran Church records

In addition to all-new Canada records, Findmypast also bolstered their US collection this week, adding a total of 45,861 new records, covering 75 years of history within four new sets from St Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Manhattan, New York.

This church was founded as a Dutch reformed parish in 1850, before reorganising as Lutheran in 1853. Many of its congregation were European immigrants to the US, and interestingly, lots of these records prior to 1920 were originally recorded in German. 

Baptisms

First up is this new collection of baptisms from St Luke's Church. There are 20,488 records to explore from the period 1850 to 1925, with images and unique transcriptions for each record.

From these records, expect to learn a name, baptism date, and birth date, as well as both parents' names and where they were born. As always, we recommend looking closely at the original records, in case there's any additional information missed in the transcription. 

Confirmations

Findmypast also added 1,065 confirmation records from St Luke's, which document when members of the church professed their faith in a kind of 'affirmation of baptism' ceremony. This new set spans the years 1850 to 1925. From these records, expect to learn a person's name and the date of their confirmation.

Marriages

A brand-new set of marriages from St Luke's, with 16,406 records covering from 1850 to 1925. These records are consistent, meaning you can expect to learn the wife and groom's names and dates of birth and their marriage date with relative certainty.

Deaths and Burials

Lastly, the fourth new set from St Luke's is this collection of death and burial records. There are images and unique transcriptions to explore for 6,947 records, from the period 1853 to 1925.

Taken from the church's death and burial registers, these records will typically tell you the name of the deceased and their death date. Earlier records list the name of the cemetery where they are buried, while later ones contain a cause of death, birth date, and birth location.

Some of the later records also include a note on the last known residence of the deceased, but this can only be spotted by scouring the original image. Review the record itself in each instance, to make sure that you obtain the full value from these records.

Over 50,000 new Irish newspaper pages

Continuing on from last week's theme, Findmypast has added five brand-new Irish titles to our newspaper collection. From Dublin to Wexford, there are so many stories to discover within these 52,710 new pages. 

The first new addition is the Constabulary Gazette, which was the organ of the Royal Irish Constabulary (R.I.C) - Ireland's police force from 1822 to 1922. This newspaper, which was published each Saturday at the price of two pence, first appeared in April 1897. It catered to the 13,000 men that made up Ireland's police force. Each issue consisted of three main sections: 'Our Album', which featured portraits of those in the R.I.C, the 'Editor's Letter Box', which featured letters from the R.I.C's members and a teaching column, intended to educate readers with lessons on grammar, geography, arithmetic, and handwriting. Interestingly, it also contained a 'literary portion', designed to encourage men in the Constabulary to read and engage with literary questions. 

Findmypast also added three new titles from County Wexford this week. Founded by Irish nationalist politicians William Sears and Sir Thomas Esmonde, the Enniscorthy Echo and South Leinster Advertiser reported on local and international news as well as all manner of town proceedings, like the meetings of the Wexford Petty Sessions and the Enniscorthy Town Tenants' Association.

This week's other new County Wexford titles are the Free Press (Wexford) and the Wexford and Kilkenny Express. From the South-West of Ireland, we've also added the bi-weekly Kerry Evening Star. 

Other new titles:

I suspect that all genealogists with Canadian ancestry (that includes me!) will be interested in this offer from MyHeritage that is good for the next few days. The following is from an announcement by MyHeritage:

As Canada Day approaches, we're thrilled to share that MyHeritage is offering free access to all our Canadian records from June 29 to July 2, 2023! Our vast range of Canadian records includes 176 featuring 103,662,055 records, including immigration documents, military records, census data, and more.

This limited-time free access provides an unparalleled opportunity for those with Canadian heritage to explore their roots and learn more about their ancestors.

To take advantage of this offer, go to https://www.myheritage.com/canada-records.

The following is a press release written by Findmypast:

Findmypast and Library and Archives Canada mark new partnership with publication of the historic census records online for the first time

The Census offers an unprecedented glimpse into life during the Great Depression, with stories of over 10 million people ready to explore

Records reveal both the ordinary and extraordinary, including famous Canadians like First Nation activist James Gladstone and first female Senator Cairine Wilson

New partnership will see thousands of Canadian family records regularly published to the site, offering key connective data to build global family trees

Findmypast and Library and Archives Canada (LAC) today announce a new partnership as they bring the long-awaited 1931 Canadian Census to family history researchers around the world.

The 1931 Canadian Census, published initially by LAC on 1 June, is a remarkable snapshot in time, capturing the experiences of millions of individuals and families during one of the most challenging periods in Canadian history. With records containing details that shed light on socio-economic status, education, occupation, and religious affiliations, researchers can delve into the lives of their ancestors and gain a deeper understanding of their experiences during this transformative era.

The new online collection on Findmypast will supplement their comprehensive census data from across the Commonweath and include 234,678 digital images of census returns to browse by district and sub-district, alongside 13,000 Census reports – statistical information published by the government offering insights into the data.

Under this new partnership, Canadian family history records will be published on an ongoing and regular basis to Findmypast. Records will include migration, military, and institutional data that will open up a wealth of opportunities for family history enthusiasts on both sides of the pond. With access to Findmypast, millions of people from Canada and the UK will be able to trace their ancestors with greater ease, bridging the gaps in their family narratives and connecting with their roots.

Jen Baldwin, Research Specialist and North American Content Manager at Findmypast, says:

“We are delighted to mark the start of such an exciting new partnership by publishing this remarkable collection of 1931 Canadian Census records online. The effects of the First World War were being keenly felt during this period, and these stories of upheaval and survival are reflected in these records, just waiting to be explored. We’ve got an exciting upcoming programme of records to publish in partnership with LAC, increasing access to key connective data that will enable everyone to make incredible discoveries and uncover their family's unique stories – no matter which side of the pond they’re on.”

Johanna Smith, Director General, Outreach and Engagement Branch at Library and Archives Canada, says:

“Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is pleased to partner with Find My Past! International partnerships like this one helps LAC promote a broader understanding of our collections and expands access for new users. LAC looks forward to building on this relationship.”

Canada during the Great Depression

The 1931 Census of Canada is a detailed population census, taken on June 1, 1931. It includes a national population of 10,376,379 people, captured across 234,678 images. It is the seventh comprehensive decennial census since confederation on July 1, 1867 and was recorded in the two official languages of Canada: English and French. At this time, 4/5ths of the population at the time noted either British or French heritage.

Taken during the Great Depression, this census offers a historical narrative of a country with massive unemployment rates, a lack of goods, failing businesses, and financial desperation. As one of the most profoundly affected countries, Canada would see an unemployment rate of 30% by 1930, which gives insight as to why the government was seeking such detail on job status in 1931. 

The Prairie Provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) and Western Canada (British Columbia) were hit the hardest, with 2/3 of the population in rural areas relying on relief programs. Population in these areas fell below a natural replacement level and there was higher migration from the southern prairies as a direct result of the Dust Bowl conditions later in the decade.

The 1930s also saw dramatic technological advancements. Radio broadcasting was becoming a primary source of entertainment and information for many households. Radio sets were relatively affordable and accessible, leading to widespread adoption. This is the first census in which the question 'do you have a radio in your house?' was asked of inhabitants, revealing that there were 173,200 radio sets in Canada in 1931 – around 1 for every 60 people.

It was also revealed in people’s occupations; where Canada had been largely agrarian, the financial crash and the rise of technology saw people moving into urban centres and transition from ‘farm hand’ to ‘factory worker’. 

Also impacted by the financial crises was the question of immigration. From 1930-1931, the active government applied severe restrictions to entry into the country. New rules limited British and American subjects with money, certain classes of workers, and immediate families of the Canadian residents. A large number of unemployed immigrants were also deported. 

If you suspect your ancestor was migrating between Great Britain and Canada during this period, it is essential that you confer with records in both countries, as they could have been moving quite rapidly and even frequently. In this instance, any individual found in the 1931 Census as an immigrant to Canada within the past twenty years, from anywhere in the British Isles, should also be sought in the 1921 Census of England and Wales and the 1921 Census of Scotland, along with passenger lists, electoral rolls, and newspapers.

A connected story

Experts from Findmypast have already discovered some amazing stories of both Canada’s famous faces and ordinary people. One story that stood out was of the Hartley family.

On the 10th of June, 1927, the Doric departed Liverpool for Canada. On board were several families identified as part of the “3000 Scheme,” a joint migration plan between the governments of Canada and the United Kingdom, which ultimately facilitated the migration of over 18,000 individuals between 1924 and 1930. 

The Empire Settlement Act of 1922 required that the adult male members of each family acquire “local farm experience” by accepting employment on farms in the vicinity of where they were assigned land before they were able to claim that land. The females of the family were expected to learn “to look after cows and poultry,” to further benefit their own eventual farms. 

The final location of settlement was determined by the government of Canada, but some consideration was taken for the type of farming each family wanted to pursue and their aptitude for the same. 

The average cost to the settling family was anywhere from $4000 – $5000 Canadian dollars, equivalent to approximately £800 to £1000 at the time. If they did not have the cash readily available, loans were an option, to be repaid over a period of 25 years, with 5% interest.

One such family to take advantage of this program was Raymond and Margaret Hartley, and their children, Effie and Muriel. Traveling on the Doric, they had left their home at 105 Shelley Road in Preston, UK, headed for a new opportunity. 

Clearly, their life in England had not been easy. Just six years earlier, in the 1921 Census of England and Wales, they were living in the home of Samuel Hodson and his family, at 111 Shelley Road, as boarders. Raymond was employed as an iron dresser for J Dewhurst & Sons Moor Brook Foundry, but Margaret was an out of work winder. The home they lived in had only 4 rooms, but a total of 7 individuals living there, in two families.

By the time the 1931 Census of Canada was taken, Raymond could boast owning his own home, valued at $500. While they didn’t have a radio, they had added to their family with another daughter, Myra Agnes. They were members of the Church of England and Raymond is classified as a general farmer. They were assigned land near Marquette, Manitoba.

Ancestry has released a new database containing information from the Chinese exclusion era, which banned Chinese people from immigrating to the U.S. and Canada.

The new database: Ancestry digitized half a million records dating back to the mid-1800s, including when former President Chester A. Arthur signed the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 to suspend Chinese immigration for 10 years and limit the rights of those already in America. 

The database reportedly includes official records, photographs and immigration case files, according to The Washington Post. Users may also find information about family relationships that could help descendants learn about their ancestors’ experiences.

Liu’s history: According to Ancestry president and CEO Deb Liu, her family was among the people who were restricted from entering the U.S. due to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

"My grandparents were not eligible to immigrate to the U.S.,” Liu said. “As an American of Chinese descent, I am grateful for everything America has meant to my family, but I also know that there was a time when we were blocked from building a life here.”

Her parents were able to move to the U.S. after the exclusion acts were revoked in 1943.

You can read more in an article by Michelle De Pacina published in the Yahoo News web site at: https://news.yahoo.com/ancestry-releases-database-containing-historical-201512113.html 

The following announcement was written by the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG):

UGA Jimmy B. Parker Scholarship: Pamela Israel The UGA Jimmy B. Parker Scholarship is awarded to an individual who has demonstrated commitment to genealogical excellence and community involvement. It provides a guaranteed seat and full tuition to one course of choice at either SLIG 2024 or SLIG Spring Virtual 2024. Pamela Israel Pamela Israel founded Unlock Your History which focuses on both unlocking tough genealogical puzzles and translating 16th-20th century German and Germanic language records and letters. She is the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society (WPGS) president for 2023-2024 and the WPGS Archives Chair.  Pamela has completed both ProGen and GenProof, and she has earned the Genealogical Certificate from Boston University. She is a member of several other organizations including the National Genealogical Society and the Association of Professional Genealogists which she also supports as the Advertising Sales Manager. Laura G. Prescott Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy Scholarship: Rebecca Dobbs The Laura G. Prescott Scholarship is awarded to an individual who exhibits a passion for genealogy, appreciates the importance of education and standards in the field, and serves the community through volunteerism. It provides a guaranteed seat and full tuition to one course of choice at SLIG Fall Virtual 2023, SLIG 2024, or SLIG Spring Virtual 2024. Rebecca Dobbs Rebecca is an aspiring genealogist with a specialty in [U.S.] Jewish research and Genetic Genealogy. She became interested in genealogy at the early age of 16 and since then, she has extensively researched her own family history in addition to assisting others with theirs. During the Summer of 2018, Rebecca interned with AncestryProGenealogists where she conducted research for the Eastern European/European Jewish team. Since then, she has taken courses through the National Genealogical Society, SLIG institute courses, attended various conferences, and webinars. Rebecca is a graduate of GenProof #61 and has recently earned her certificate for the American Genealogical Studies Program through the NGS. She has also volunteered for B'nai Israel Congregation (Baltimore, MD) conducting lineage research on the early members of the congregation. She is an active member of her local genealogy society and assists with finding speakers for the monthly meetings. Rebecca is currently taking classes through the International Institute of Genealogical Studies, gives presentations within her community, and has a future goal of obtaining a Certified Genealogist credential. SLIG Scholarship for First-Time Attendees: Jeanette Weiden The SLIG Scholarship for First-Time Attendees is awarded to an individual who has never attended a national genealogical institute prior to SLIG 2024, has sought to improve their genealogical education through formal or informal means, has an intermediate or above level of research knowledge and skills, and is ready for an in-depth learning experience. It provides a guaranteed seat and full tuition to one course of choice at SLIG 2024. Jeanette Weiden Jeanette Weiden, genealogy specialist, has worked at Loutit District Library in Grand Haven, Michigan for 18 years. At the library, she is responsible for collection development, reference services, collection care, digitization projects, local history and genealogy programming, and coordinating volunteer projects.  In addition to her contributions to the Loutit District Library, Jeanette serves as the vice president of the Tri-Cities Historical Museum board. Her involvement with the museum includes her participation on their collections committee. Jeanette's passion for genealogy and local history is evident in her commitment to continuous learning and professional growth. She obtained a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University in Spring 2021 and completed ProGen 58 in December 2022. Jeanette is working toward her goal of becoming a board-certified genealogist. She is excited to attend SLIG for the first time.   MyHeritage Chris Darrington Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy Scholarship: Lillian Wingate The MyHeritage Chris Darrington Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy Scholarship is awarded to an individual who is at an intermediate level or above and who has a genuine passion for family history, a strong desire to improve their research skills through quality education, and an enthusiasm for serving the genealogical community. It provides a guaranteed seat and full tuition to one course of choice at SLIG 2024. Lillian Wingate Lillian Wingate is the Regional Genealogy & Local History Coordinator for the Statesboro Regional Public Libraries. She graduated from Georgia Southern University in 2014 with a BA in History and Anthropology, and decided to stay in Statesboro. She has been doing family research in Georgia since 2015. Recent projects include working with GSU on a Digital Walking Tour of Downtown Statesboro, working on digitization projects with GSU interns and the local probate courts, and hosting the first annual Genealogy Resource Fair for the state of Georgia. Lillian loves teaching introductory genealogy classes and assisting patrons at the library who come from across the nation for research. She hopes that by furthering her education she will be able to assist patrons better and provide information on more resources.  SLIG Intermediate Foundations Scholarship: Wendy Winstead The SLIG Intermediate Foundations Scholarship is awarded to an individual who has a strong working knowledge of basic genealogy principles, has had several years of experience applying those principles using a variety of record sources to identify ancestors and confirm relationships, has utilized a variety of formal and informal educational opportunities to obtain and strengthen knowledge, and is ready for an in-depth, curriculum-based learning experience. It provides a guaranteed seat and full tuition to the Intermediate Foundations course offered at SLIG Fall Virtual 2023. Wendy Windstead Wendy Winstead was born and raised in eastern North Carolina, surrounded by the remnants of the Revolutionary War and Civil War. Listening to the stories told by her maternal grandmother of ancestors and the rich history surrounding the area sparked her love for genealogy at a young age. Wendy is currently attending East Carolina University, working towards her Master’s in Business Administration. She does hope to become a Certified Genealogist one day and to continue sharing her love for genealogy with all who want to listen.

Twenty-four scholars from across the country will spend three weeks in South Carolina, learning how to teach and tell a more complete picture of American history, thanks to a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

“Reconstructing the Black Archive,” a summer institute run by Furman University and Clemson University, will send the scholars, most of whom teach undergraduate students, into churches, historical associations, museums and other sources to learn to recover missing, often intentionally buried, histories.

“These are vibrant sources that tell a history lost to many earlier generations. It’s exciting and thrilling to behold,” said Gregg Hecimovich, Furman professor English, who directs the institute with Furman’s Kaniqua Robinson, assistant professor of anthropology, and Clemson’s Susanna Ashton and Rhondda Robinson Thomas, both professors in the Department of English.

The scholars’ itinerary takes them to sources at Clemson University and the city itself, Columbia and Charleston where they’ll learn from a cast of expertsincluding archivists, literary critics, prize-winning authors, poets and historians, people who have forged the tools for reassembling the scattered shards of information that give a fuller picture of the past.

You can read more in an article by Tina Underwood  published in the Furman web site at: https://tinyurl.com/hbxpt2ey.