This event is postponed due to weather.

Tuesday, February 13th at 6:30 pm join us for a lecture and Q&A about researching African American genealogy. This will be a hybrid event: you can either join us in the Maccario for a live stream with a moderated question and answer period, or join us from home via Zoom and ask your questions in the chat. We are really looking forward to learning more about the tools available to people researching their ancestry. This should be a fascinating and informative event for all members of the community. So please join us! Registration is required, please use the link here: bit.ly/AAGenealogyMPL

All registered participants (whether in person or online) will receive a recording of the program via email after the program concludes.

Getting Started in African American Genealogy 

Researching African American ancestors can be challenging, especially when trying to break through the 1870 brick wall to discover more about ancestors prior to the end of slavery. In this presentation, Genealogist Melanie McComb will discuss go-to records and demonstrate creative search strategies for piecing together your family history.

Melanie McComb, Senior Genealogist, assists library visitors, both on-site and online, with their family history research. She is an international lecturer who teaches on a variety of topics. Melanie holds a B.S. degree from the State University of New York at Oswego. She previously served as the social media coordinator for the NextGen Genealogy Network, a non-profit that creates a community for younger genealogists, where she managed the Facebook and Twitter accounts. She continues her interest in helping younger genealogists get involved at American Ancestors by assisting with educational programs from local schools, scout groups, and universities. Her areas of expertise include Irish genealogy, DNA, Atlantic Canada, Jewish genealogy, and military records.