Carol Ann Riley

On May 16, 1987, a person rounding up steers around Bonelli Landing at Lake Mead found a human skull on the ground. A further search of the area resulted in the discovery of additional remains buried in a shallow grave, wrapped in a yellow blanket.

The remains were those of a female thought to be between 20-40 years, 5’3”-5’7”, 105-120 pounds with light brown hair. Attempts to identify her at the time were unsuccessful, but a forensic odontologist was able to complete an NCIC Unidentified Person Dental Report and enter it into NamUs. The Jane Doe was listed as NamUs UP9836 and assigned MCSO DR#87-1943.

In 2011, MCSO detectives were contacted by investigators in Austin, Texas, believing that Jane Doe was a missing person from their jurisdiction. A comparison conducted by NamUs with her dental records proved to be a negative match. MCSO detectives were then able to send bone remains to the University of North Texas (UNT), where a DNA profile was obtained and entered into CODIS and remaining extract was secured and stored for future examination.

In April 2024, investigators from the MCSO Special Investigations Unit (SIU), who were now assigned the case, contacted UNT to determine if the remaining extract was of sufficient quality and amount in which to conduct a forensic genetic genealogy (FGG) investigation. They were told the sample was too degraded for analysis of this type.

In February 2025, SIU investigators sent portions of the victim’s clothing and the blanket in which she was wrapped to the DPS Lab in Flagstaff to attempt to obtain a DNA extracted sample sufficient and suitable for FGG. This was also unsuccessful. In addition, attempts to identify her were further hindered when investigators learned that her skeletal remains had been cremated in 2016 and her ashes scattered at an unknown location.

On July 15, 2025, SIU investigators were contacted by personnel at the Mohave County Medical Examiner’s Office. An email indicated that a forensic odontologist and staff from the Missing and Unidentified Persons Unit, California Department of Justice, had worked on a dental comparison of the Jane Doe victim and Carol Ann Riley, a person missing in 1986 from San Diego County, California, case # 86-030036, NamUs MP9411. As a result of their comparison, they positively identified Jane Doe as Carol Ann Riley, DOB 12-13-1943.

Riley was a nurse who worked at the Scripps Clinic in San Diego. At the time of her disappearance, she was dating a man known to her as Robert Howard Smith. She had a dinner date scheduled with him on the date of her disappearance and told friends that she was planning to break up with him.

When interviewed, Smith told police that Riley had canceled the date. Two days later, Smith left town and dropped out of sight. Detectives investigating Smith discovered that his real name was Robert Dean Weeks and had a history of going by false names. They also found out that his ex-wife, Patricia Weeks, disappeared from Clark County, Nevada, on April 25, 1968, a few weeks after their divorce was finalized. He had also dated a real estate agent who disappeared, a woman by the name of Cynthia Jabour. She had a dinner date scheduled with him and intended to end their relationship. She was last seen on Oct. 5, 1980. To add to these cases, Weeks’ business associate, James Shaw, was last seen on Oct. 5, 1971. He disappeared after having an argument with Weeks and his bloodstained vehicle was found abandoned in a Las Vegas parking lot. Their bodies were never found.

In April 1987, the investigation involving Weeks was aired on the television show Unsolved Mysteries. A warrant had been issued for his arrest due to fraud and embezzlement charges from his business. As a result of viewer response, Weeks was located and arrested in Tucson, Arizona.

In April 1988, Weeks was convicted of the murder of his wife, Patricia Weeks and Cynthia Jabour, despite their bodies never being found. He was never charged with the murder of Riley and Shaw. He was sentenced to life in prison in Nevada and died there on Sept. 20, 1996.

Get assistance with your genealogy research from a member of the Northern Arizona Genealogy Society. Please come prepared with a specific question or problem and a genealogy mentor will help guide you in your research.

This is a virtual session via Zoom and registration is required. Zoom information will be sent after registration. For tips and tricks on using Zoom, please see our guide.

The National Genealogical Society (NGS) is pleased to announce the theme for the NGS 2026 Family History Conference—America at 250. The conference is scheduled for 27–30 May 2026 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Our theme, America at 250, invites us to consider the full span of stories and experiences that have shaped this nation—not just its founding moments, but the generations that followed. We envision a program of sessions, workshops, and interactive experiences that reflect the many ways individuals, families, and communities have lived through, contributed to, and been affected by the unfolding American story.

Deadline to submit: September 3, 2025, 11:59 PM EDT

Call for Proposals – NGS 2026 Family History Conference

Theme: America at 250

The National Genealogical Society invites innovative proposals for its 2026 Family History Conference, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. As we mark the 250th anniversary of the United States, our theme—America at 250—encourages reflection on the stories, communities, and research strategies that help us understand the nation’s past and how genealogists can preserve it for the future.

What We’re Looking For

We welcome proposals that reflect the diversity of approaches, experiences, and records used to explore American family history. We especially encourage sessions that:

• share compelling case studies, clear methodologies, or strategies for tackling common research challenges;
  
• introduce tools, methods, or sources that attendees can try right away;
  
• help genealogists navigate complex or conflicting records;
  
• illustrate and interpret historical and social context;
  
• bring fresh perspectives or creative solutions to family history research;
  
• encourage thoughtful discussion, collaborative learning, or audience engagement; and
  
• tie into the conference theme of “America at 250” such as through historical context, civic memory, or reflection on generational change.
  

Session Formats

We welcome proposals for the following formats:

Traditional Lecture (60 minutes)

A structured, one-hour presentation including time for questions and answers. Ideal for methodology, historical context, record analysis, and case studies. Lectures should include practical takeaways.

Interactive Session (60 minutes – limited capacity of about 75 people)

Held in our dedicated interactive learning room. These sessions emphasize practice, collaboration, or hands-on learning using worksheets, case packets, maps, visual tools, or guided discussion. Please note: Power and computers are not provided.

Spotlight Session (25 minutes)

Short, focused talks of 25 minutes or less (think “Tik Talks”) that introduce a case, tool, concept, or provocative question. Ideal for new voices, intriguing projects, or focused topics tied to the conference theme. Think about combining TED Talk principles with the engaging, direct style of TikTok as you consider your proposal (see https://publicwords.com/2013/04/30/how-to-prepare-a-20-minute-ted-like-talk/).

Panel Discussion (25 minutes or 60 minutes)

A moderated conversation among two to four panelists offering different perspectives on a shared topic related to the conference theme, America at 250. Panels should emphasize thoughtful dialogue and include time for audience interaction. Panel discussions can be proposed as either a 60-minute interactive session or a 25-minute spotlight session. We also welcome suggestions for a spotlight talk paired with a spotlight panel discussion.

James Dent Walker Memorial Lecture Series

NGS and the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS) seek proposals for (a) African American/black family history research lectures, and (b) lectures on any topic by lecturers of color. AAHGS members receive preference, but everyone is encouraged to submit proposals for inclusion in this series. Proposals may take the form of a traditional lecture, interactive session, or spotlight session.

Sponsored Lectures

We will accept a limited number of lecture proposals from sponsoring organizations and companies. Sponsors pay speakers directly and must have a sponsorship agreement with NGS.

Pre-Conference Workshops

We welcome proposals for pre-conference workshops that offer in-depth, hands-on learning aligned with the topics listed above. Workshops should emphasize applied skills and active participation. Two formats are available:

Traditional hands-on workshops (1.5 hours or 3 hours) Three-hour workshops will include a short break at the midpoint to align with the overall schedule and allow for room transitions. These sessions will be held in a standard classroom setting with tables; participants may be encouraged to bring their own devices.

Computer lab workshops (1 or 2 hours; max 18 participants)

We have access to a small computer lab at the Allen County Public Library for short-format, hands-on computer sessions. Proposals should include specific details about the activities and any required software or online access.

All pre-conference workshops require separate registration and fees.

IMPORTANT: Before submitting a workshop proposal, you must email the program co-chairs to discuss potential requirements, including equipment needs, registration caps, space design, registration fees, and revenue sharing.

Other Creative Session Proposals

Do you have an innovative idea that doesn’t fit our standard formats? We welcome proposals for creative, in-person-only experiences that bring fresh approaches to genealogical learning. Whether it is a unique interactive format or a creative presentation approach, we want to hear your ideas. Please contact the program co-chairs to discuss such ideas before submitting your proposal through the online system.

Session Themes & Topic Areas

All sessions must tie into the “America at 250” theme, which focuses on the entire 250 years of American family history, not just the Revolutionary period. Proposals, for example, could address (but are not limited to) American family history through:

• examining migration and mobility across centuries;
  
• using land, military, tax, and court records as storytelling tools;
  
• uncovering the stories of enslaved persons, indigenous communities, immigrants, and overlooked populations;
  
• engaging in genealogy as civic practice to address memory, justice, and reparative work;
  
• applying DNA and 21st-century tools to explore 250 years of family history;
  
• writing, preserving, and sharing family and community stories; and
  
• sharing technology and methods that enhance historical discovery.
  

How to Propose

Use the submission portal to submit proposals for main conference sessions (28–30 May), pre-conference workshops (27 May), or sponsored sessions for the main conference.

NGS members receive first consideration as speakers.

Speakers may submit up to six proposals electronically. Each submitted proposal should include the following information:

Session Title: (max 14 words)

Session Summary: (max 160 characters) A short summary for the program brochure.

Session Description: (max 2,000 characters) Your description should:

clearly explain the session’s focus and main topic(s)

describe what attendees will learn or be able to do after the session

explain how you will structure the session to support learning and engage your audience

identify how your topic connects to the “America at 250” theme

(for interactive sessions only) describe how you will structure your session to actively engage participants.

Optional Outline: (max 1,500 characters) You may include a short, bulleted outline (3–5 points) summarizing the structure or major themes of the session.

Session Format: (select one)

Audience Level: (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, or All Levels). If you select All Levels, your proposal should explain how the session will offer meaningful takeaways for both newer and more experienced genealogists. For intermediate and advanced sessions, we encourage proposals that include entry points or context to help motivated beginners engage with the material—without diluting the content or limiting depth.

Speaker Biography: (max 160 characters)

Speaker’s Recent Teaching Experience: A list of national or regional conferences, in-person workshops, or institute or other online courses where the speaker has presented in the past three years.

NOTE FOR NEWER SPEAKERS: We encourage newer speakers to submit proposals for the conference, however we may ask you to provide a recording of an earlier presentation for review.

We seek fresh, innovative sessions that bring new ideas, approaches, or case studies to our attendees. Our goal is to offer content that participants are unlikely to have seen elsewhere in a similar format.

Please tell us on the proposal form if your presentation (or a substantially similar version) has been presented, proposed, or scheduled elsewhere before May 2026. This includes presentations given at regional, state, or national conferences, recorded for widely accessible platforms (such as Legacy Family Tree Webinars), offered online with free public access, or available free online.

While priority will be given to new and original presentations, we may also consider sessions that have been significantly updated from earlier versions or adapted for this conference’s audience.

Speaker Honorarium and Expense Reimbursement

Speakers receive a $300 honorarium, complimentary conference registration (appx. $350 value), and up to $500 in reimbursable travel expenses (receipts required) for a total compensation value of approximately $1100 for a one-hour session. If you are selected to present more than one session, you will receive a $300 honorarium and additional travel expense reimbursement of $200 for each additional session

Spotlight Session speakers will receive a flat rate of $200 per 25-minute session. Expense reimbursement and conference registration not included.

Workshop presenters negotiate revenue sharing with NGS based on total capacity, registration fee, and other factors, including NGS expenses and a management fee.

Speaker Selection Process

The program committee will review proposals through a multi-step evaluation process. In the initial phase, we evaluate proposals without submitter names to support fairness and prioritize content quality, clarity, and relevance to the conference theme. The final program will reflect a balance of session types, experience levels, and perspectives, all connected to the conference theme, America at 250. Final selections are based on the following criteria:

• relevance to the conference theme
  
• quality and clarity of learning outcomes
  
• applicability to genealogists at one or more levels
  
• format fit and potential for in-person engagement
  
• presenter expertise relevant to the proposed topic
  
• contribution to diversity in voice, region, and perspective.
  

Proposal Preparation

We have a free webinar, Becoming a Better Conference Speaker: Proposals and Preparations, on our YouTube channel. We encourage you to view the video before beginning the proposal process. Topics covered include lecture proposals, presentations, syllabus materials, communications, and delivery.

Proposal Acceptance

We will send acceptance notifications and speaker contracts in the fall of 2025. Syllabus material, due 1 March 2026, is required for each main conference lecture, spotlight presentation, and interactive session, and will be included in the compendium distributed to all conference registrants.

Session Recordings

Like the 2025 conference, NGS will provide lecture recordings via the conference app to paid registrants until mid-August, allowing us to provide every attendee with every lecture. All speakers agree to have their slides and audio (no speaker video) recorded live from the Grand Wayne Convention Center. Speakers who wish can allow NGS to market those recordings after mid-August 2026 for additional compensation.

Questions?

Contact Lauren Henretty (lhenretty@ngsgenealogy.org) with questions about session formats, the theme, or the submission process.

Deadline to submit: September 3, 2025, 11:59 PM EDT

A powerful collection of wartime letters, diaries, and photographs – never before shared with the public – has been unveiled online today to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day.

The Watson Collection, released as part of the Their Finest Hour project at the University of Oxford, tells the story of Frank Watson, an RAF serviceman captured by Japanese forces in 1942, and his wife May, who waited more than four years for his return. Frank’s journey took him from the fall of Singapore to a brutal POW camp in Japan, where he endured forced labour, beatings, and near-starvation. Back in Orpington, May wrote to Frank almost daily, not knowing if he was alive. While Britain celebrated VE Day, Frank remained in captivity. His long-awaited return came months later, to a country eager to move on.

The story is told through more than 2,600 scanned items, including diary entries, official documents, handwritten memoirs, photographs, mementos from captivity, and May’s letters – many never sent or intended for others to read.

Dr Matthew Kidd, who prepared the materials for publication, said: ‘The Watson Collection offers an unusually complete picture of wartime life, both overseas and at home. It is incredibly rich, honest, moving, and full of material that will be of interest to anyone interested in the human side of the war.’

The digitisation was funded by Andrew Watson, the couple’s son, who generously made the materials publicly accessible through the Their Finest Hour Online Archive. The collection is freely available to explore online from today.

Visit the Main Library on Saturday, August 23, 2025 (08/23/2025) for the Family History and Genealogy Fair!

Drop in and meet representatives from genealogy, family history, and local history organizations between 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. No reservation is required.

Professional Genealogist Diane L. Richard will present two programs on August 23, 2025, at the Gaston County Public Library in Gastonia, N.C. Sponsored by Friends of the Gaston County Public Library.

EVENT SCHEDULE

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM   Meet representatives from local historical societies, genealogy or family history organizations, and museums

11:00 AM  -  12:00 PM  A “Hand-out” for Your Poor Ancestors: Local Parishes, and Counties Stepped Up. Presentation by Diane L. Richard.  [You may also continue to meet with organizations]

12:00 PM  -  1:00 PM     Meet representatives from local historical societies, genealogy or family history organizations, and museums

1:00 PM  -  2:00 PM   Let’s Focus on Colonial Records – Off-the-Beaten-Track Resources and Documenting Our Female Ancestors. Presentation by Diane L. Richard.

Diane L. Richard is a nationally recognized Professional Genealogist with special expertise in researching North Carolina records of all types.  She is the owner of Mosaic Research and Project Management,  and co-leader of Tar Heel Discoveries, which provides guided North Carolina genealogical research support one-on-one or via a weeklong program.

Diane has M.Eng. and M.B.A. degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She has been doing genealogy research since 1987 and since 2004 professionally focused on the records of North Carolina, other Southern States and migration paths to the Mississippi River.

Since 2006 she has authored almost 300 articles on genealogical topics for a variety of publications including Internet Genealogy and Your Genealogy Today (was Family Chronicle).  From 2010-2017, Diane served as the editor of Upfront with NGS, the blog of the National Genealogical Society and published over 2000 posts. She is current editor of the North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal and past editor of Wake Treasures, the journal of the Wake County Genealogical Society. She is a member of the national and local chapters of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the National Genealogical Society.  She has researched NC roots for the popular TV show Who Do You Think You Are? and appeared on the Bryan Cranston episode. She also appeared on The Dead Files season 12, episode 7 “Detox”.

She is a member of the Genealogical Speakers Guild (GSG) and as a speaker she has done webinars (coast-to-coast), conference presentations (FGS, NGS, TxSGS, FxGS, NERGC, SCGS Jamboree, etc), workshops, and local meeting programs about the availability and richness of records documenting North Carolinians, genealogical research techniques and tips, under-utilized resource collections and much more.

A “Hand-out” for Your Poor Ancestors: Local Parishes, and Counties Stepped Up. Presentation by Diane L. Richard. 

11:00 AM

Providing relief to those in need is not a modern concept. Throughout history, the records reflect the provision for assistance or relief to those in need. Whether one received food, a dispensation to not pay taxes, support money for a bastard child, was apprenticed, hospitalized in a sanitarium, or facing other struggles, they may have been the recipient of some form of relief for the poor.

Let’s Focus on Colonial Records – Off-the-Beaten-Track Resources and Documenting Our Female Ancestors.

1:00 PM

Details on “where” to look for colonial records and the gaps that exist in them. Includes examples of places where women “would” be documented in the colonial era.

The following is a press release written by the folks at TheGenealogist:

TheGenealogist is pleased to announce the release of a fascinating collection of historic occupational records for medical and nursing professionals, opening new research opportunities for family historians.

These newly added publications cover doctors, surgeons and nurses from the mid-19th to mid-20th century and contain nearly 200,000 names. Researchers can now explore details such as qualifications, training, addresses and career histories, invaluable for building a fuller picture of an ancestor’s life.

Included in this release is Sophia Jex-Blake, one of the most influential figures in British medical history. As the first female doctor to practise in Scotland and a leader in the fight for women’s access to medical education, her entry sits alongside those of thousands of other medical professionals from the era. Read her story here:www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2025/from-victorian-roots-to-medical-pioneer-8732/.

[ Sophia Jex-Blake in the newly released Medical Records ]

Mark Bayley, Head of Content at TheGenealogist, says:

“These directories provide a detailed snapshot of the lives of medical professionals, from the pioneers who broke barriers to the everyday practitioners who served their communities. For family historians, they offer an invaluable source of biographical detail that can bring your ancestor’s story to life.”

The new records are available now to all Diamond subscribers at TheGenealogist.co.uk.

The new records include: The Medical Register 1897; The Medical Register 1906; The Medical Register 1939; Medical Directory for Ireland 1856; Register of Nurses for Scotland 1947; Register of Nurses for Scotland 1948.

Don’t miss out! For a limited time, you can subscribe to TheGenealogist for just £118.95 - Save Over £75

Not only will you get a lifetime discount, but you'll also receive a 12-Month Subscription to Discover Your Ancestors Online Magazine! 

Explore these new records and start your genealogical journey today with TheGenealogist by claiming this offer here:https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/MGBMED825

Offer expires 30th November 2025.

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!

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The Delaware Public Archives is excited to announce the launch of an enhanced State of Delaware Historical Markers Map, now available on our website. Built on ArcGIS in collaboration with DE FirstMap, this dynamic tool brings Delaware’s rich history to your fingertips.

With just a few clicks, users can explore all the state’s official historical markers, discover detailed information about each site, and easily navigate to related content on our website. The map offers powerful filtering options, allowing you to search by marker category, city, and Historical Categories such as America’s 250th anniversary, Black History, Hundreds, Native American heritage, and Women’s History.

Whether you’re planning a road trip, researching local history, or simply curious about the stories that shaped the First State, the State of Delaware Historical Markers Map is your gateway to exploring Delaware’s past in an interactive, user-friendly format.

Discover it now at: https://archives.delaware.gov/delaware-historical-markers/

If you have questions, or for more information, please email historicalmarkers@delaware.gov.

About the State of Delaware Historical Markers Program:

The State of Delaware Historical Markers Program traces its origins to 1929, when Governor C. Douglass Buck appointed a committee to review Delaware’s notable historic sites and develop a way to identify them. In 1931, the General Assembly of Delaware passed an act establishing a commission to erect historical markers throughout the state. The markers in each county were numbered sequentially as they were proposed, preceded by NC (New Castle), K (Kent), and S (Sussex) to note the county in which they were located. Since the 1930s, the State of Delaware has erected over 700 markers. The Delaware Public Archives has administered the Historical Markers Program since 1990.

For more information about the Delaware Public Archives or to learn more about events and other items of interest at the Archives, visit the website at archives.delaware.gov.

A California man has been sentenced to life in prison for the rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl 40 years ago. Gary Gene Ramirez, 78, entered a no contest plea in May to the murder of Karen Stitt, who was stabbed 59 times after she was left waiting at a bus stop in Palo Alto in 1982.

Karen was on a date with her boyfriend David Woods on September 2, 1982, where they played video games and mini-golf before he dropped her off at the bus stop just after midnight. Woods left the teen, who was waiting for the route 22 bus to take her the 10-mile (16km) journey home to Sunnyvale, after he became anxious about being late and his parents finding out.

A delivery driver found the girl’s naked body behind a blood-stained cinder block wall just 100 yards from the bus stop the next morning. She had been stabbed in the neck, abdomen and chest and had her wrists tied with her shirt, with her jacket tied around her ankle.

Breakthrough After Decades

Police had been baffled by the crime for almost 40 years until a tip-off in 2019 told them Karen’s killer was one of four brothers from Fresno, California. Detectives then started working with genetic genealogy experts who compared DNA found at the crime scene with samples from the brothers’ children.

This led them to Ramirez, who was arrested at his home in Maui, Hawaii on August 2, 2022. The 75-year-old simply replied: “Oh, my gosh” when police approached him. 

Ramirez had led an unassuming life with no prior criminal record and had various jobs, including working as an exterminator in Hawaii after serving in the US Air Force. He had been married twice and had two children and nobody had ever suspected he was involved in one of the West Coast’s most notorious unsolved crimes.

Emotional Sentencing Hearing

At his no contest plea, Ramirez sat motionless in the courtroom as victim impact statements were read out. Karen’s best friend Tracy Lancaster said: “Since Karen was brutally taken from us, there have been many unanswered questions - ‘why’ being the biggest.”

Friend Michael Calhoun added: “Just because you’ve been caught, finally, and you will start serving your sentence - your punishment for your brutally gruesome crime - there will still never be closure. Karen is gone. We will never get her back.” 

Karen’s boyfriend David Woods, who was on that final date with her, was in court with his wife for the hearing. He told the court: “His heinous crime, that ended her life in such a horrific way, has caused deep heartache and continued suffering for the many that loved Karen Stitt.”

Ramirez was sentenced to life in prison and will only be eligible for parole after 25 years. Karen’s father and sister had died before seeing justice done, but her remaining family members expressed relief at finally getting answers after more than four decades of uncertainty.

Wyoming’s museums, historical societies, archives and cultural heritage institutions can access free, professional archival expertise through the Wyoming Roving Archivist Program.

The program is welcoming Morgan Stence as the new roving archivist, ready to visit institutions across the state to help preserve and share Wyoming’s irreplaceable historical collections.

“We know that many of Wyoming’s cultural heritage institutions want to better care for their collection, but may not know where to start or lack the resources for professional consultation,” Marcie Blaylock, reference historian and archivist for the Wyoming State Archives, said in a news release. “The Roving Archivist Program brings that expertise directly to you — at no cost to your institution.”

The program offers comprehensive, on-site assessments that help institutions understand their collections’ needs and develop realistic improvement plans.

Applications are now open, and institutions across Wyoming are encouraged to apply. The program serves museums, historical societies, archives, libraries with special collections, tribal cultural centers and any organization caring for historical materials.

Apply online at tinyurl.com/wyo-roving-archivist-app.

For more information about the Roving Archivist Program, visit online at rovingarchivist.wyo.gov.

Throughout the fall, visitors at Ohio University’s Alden Library will have an opportunity to view historical materials collected by the League of Women Voters of Athens County (LWVAC) in a student-curated exhibit. The exhibit will be on display on the 4th floor and will be celebrated with an opening reception on September 16th at 6pm in the 4th floor lounge.

The exhibit, Venturing Into Voting , includes publications, pamphlets, and ephemera which document the League’s history of activism and outreach since the Athens County chapter formed in April 1949. While the materials cover a wide range of issues spanning 70+ years, they also underscore the organization’s steadfast mission to promote informed voting.

Materials featured in the exhibit are sourced from the LWVAC records, an archival collection housed in the Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections. Since 1972, LWVAC organizers have donated local League records, publications, research files, and memorabilia to the Libraries’ archives where they can be accessed by students and researchers.

During the spring 2025 semester, Manuscripts Archives Intern, Alexis Reynolds, was tasked with processing the LWVAC records. Under the supervision of Manuscripts Archivist, Greta Suiter, she reviewed, arranged, and documented more than 30 boxes of content to be added to the collection finding aid so that future users can navigate it with ease. Reynolds reflects on this experience in a blog post, noting the connection between past and present through LWVAC’s 75-year legacy and continuous involvement here in Athens.

Reynolds, a junior studying English and World Religions, also curated the exhibition which highlights some of the unique artifacts she uncovered while processing the collection. In addition to national publications, the display features documents, reports, and print materials produced by the League’s local chapter.

Items selected for display illustrate the broad range of issues addressed by LWV throughout the years, including civil rights, climate action, health care reform, foreign policy, and more. According to Reynolds, “anyone who sees these pamphlets will understand just by looking at them that LWV was involved in various different issues across the years, some or all of which are still relevant today.”

The exhibit opening planned for September 16th coincides with National Voter Registration Day and will feature remarks from Professor Emerita Dr. Katherine Jellison about her involvement with the League.

For more information, please contact Greta Suiter at suiter@ohio.edu.