Michigan Genealogical Council

Preparing for the Future: New Realities for Genealogical Societies with D. Joshua Taylor
2024-07-11 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Detroit) | Zoom webinar, MI
This session delves into the evolving role of genealogical societies amidst technological advancements, changing demographics, and shifting societal trends. Topics of discussion include recognizing present realities, essential board governance issues, insights to engage newer generations, and strategies to foster community involvement. Together, we will explore ways to equip your society for the challenges and opportunities ahead.
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Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS, FUGA, is a nationally known and recognized genealogist. Passionate about the diverse and dynamic field of family history. Joshua is the President of the NewYorkGenealogical & Biographical Society (NYG&B), an organization dedicated to preserving the stories of all New Yorkers. Previously, Joshua volunteered in leadership positions for the Federation of Genealogical Societies and other organizations. In 2017, Joshua was named as one of Library Journal’s Movers and Shakers and in 2022 was named as a Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association. A popular author and speaker, Joshua has been a coordinator for courses at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) and is the recipient of RootsTech’s Distinguished Presenter Award. He holds an MLS (Archival Management) and an MA (History) from Simmons College and has been a featured genealogist on Who Do You Think You Are? and can be seen taking America through their past as a host on the popular PBS series Genealogy Roadshow.

MGC Board meeting
2024-07-11 09:00 - 10:30, 2024-06-13 09:00 - 11:00, 2024-02-08 09:00 - 11:00, 2023-12-14 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Detroit) | Virtual – Zoom only

Organizing and Identifying Photograph Collections with Ari Wilkins
2024-05-10 10:00 - 11:45 (America/Detroit) | Michigan Library & Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo Street, Lansing, MI, 48912, United States
Organizing and Identifying Photograph Collections
We all have mounds of old unidentified family photos sitting in boxes. This lecture will offer step-by-step direction in organizing, preserving and cataloguing these precious collections for future generations. Learn how to identify, digitize and share collections using family trees and social media.
This is our annual meeting. Please note the different date and time. This meeting is also the annual Barbara J Brown Family History Seminar kickoff.

MGC Board meeting
2024-05-09 09:00 - 10:30, 2023-07-13 09:00 - 11:00, 2023-06-08 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Detroit) | Virtual – Zoom only

MGC Virtual only Board meeting
2024-04-18 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Detroit) | Virtual – Zoom only
MGC Virtual only Board meeting – non-delegate meeting months.
This meeting was rescheduled from April 11, 2024.

Building an Educational Plan for your Society with Cari A. Taplin, CG
2024-03-14 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Detroit) | Virtual – Zoom only
Most genealogical societies foster education in the field of genealogy. Having an education program outside the monthly meetings can build membership, develop volunteer relationships, and give greater education opportunities to members. This lecture will share ideas on developing a strong education program for societies.
Cari will be joining us virtually.

Embracing Change: Charting a Direction for Genealogical Societies with Curt Witcher
2024-01-11 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Detroit) | Virtual – Zoom only
This presentation will provide a general overview of the changes that are affecting genealogical societies and organizations, present some of the challenges that those changes bring, and offer some strategies for charting a course for success.
Curt will be joining us virtually.

MGC Fall Family History Seminar with Michael Strauss
2023-11-04 09:00 - 16:00 (America/Detroit) | Michigan Library & Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo Street, Lansing, MI, 48912, United States
Each fall, the Michigan Genealogical Council, with our partners, the Archives of Michigan and the Library of Michigan, presents the Fall Family History Event. This year, you can attend onsite in Lansing or online from home.
Michael L. Strauss, AG, will be our speaker. Michael is employed as a Research Manager and Senior Genealogist for Ancestry ProGenealogists. He is a native of Pennsylvania and a veteran of the United States Coast Guard. He is a published author and national genealogical lecturer, instructor, and faculty member at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), and the Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research (IGHR), where he coordinates the military history courses. Michael has been involved in Civil War and Mexican-American War reenacting for more than twenty-five years.
Michael Strauss’s presentations will be

Introduction to Military Genealogy Research will focus on a large number of records, strategies, and techniques to find your military ancestors from the colonial era through the Vietnam War.
A House Divided: Research in the Civil War will examine records most used by genealogists and historians, including service records, draft records, pensions, and records to trace the movement of your ancestor’s military unit for both sides.
Roosevelt’s Tree Army: Researching in the Civilian Conservation Corps will explore CCC genealogical resources between 1933-1942, including Office Personnel Files, discharge certificates, accident reports, camp and district reports, photographs, and motion pictures.
All in a Day’s Work: Occupational Genealogical Research will focus on the methodology to research your ancestor’s work history, tapping into records of employment and discussing old occupations no longer in use.

Register online today
A complete event schedule and mail-in registration form can be found here.

SIG - Special Interest Groups for Societies with Paula Williams
2023-11-03 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Detroit) | Forum at the Michigan Library & Historical Center, 702 W Kalamazoo St, Lansing, Michigan, 48915
Expand your society’s offerings by incorporating special interest and study groups for more active participation.
Paula is a professional genealogist who has been researching for more than two decades in primarily southern US states and has been using DNA to solve problems for more than a decade. She has studied at IGHR, SLIG, GRIP, and the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed). In addition, she’s a board member of the Virginia Genealogical Society and of the Genealogical Research Institute of Virginia (GRIVA) and is the facilitator for the latter’s DNA Special Interest Group. She has taught at the IGHR and GRIP institutes and has lectured for the Southern California Genealogical Society’s Genealogy Jamboree and for the National Genealogical Society conference, among others.
Please note the different day of this delegate meeting. This is to kick off the MGC Fall Family History Event.
The 2023 Lucy Mary Kellogg Award will be presented at this meeting.
A reception for Lucy Mary Kellogg Awardees 2020-2023 will be held following the delegate meeting.
Attendees have the option of attending this presentation in person in Lansing or virtually. Paula will be presenting remotely.

MGC Board meeting - November 2023
2023-11-03 09:00 - 10:30 (America/Detroit) | Comission Room, 5th Floor, Michigan Library & Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo Street, Lansing, Michigan, 48912
MGC Board meeting – November 3, 2023 at 9:00 am
In person at the Michigan Library and Historical Center and Virtual via Zoom

MGC Board meeting - October 2023
2023-10-12 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Detroit) | Virtual – Zoom only
MGC Board meeting – October 12, 2023 at 9:00 am
Virtual via Zoom

Resources and Services of the Library of Michigan with Adam Oster
2023-09-14 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Detroit) | Forum, Michigan Library & Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo Street, Lansing, Michigan, 48912
Come discover the resources and services of the Library of Michigan. Learn about both the physical and digital collections of your state library as well as the variety of services available for libraries, historical organizations, and family history researchers throughout our great state.
Register for the delegate meeting.

MGC Board Meeting
2023-09-14 09:00 - 10:30 (America/Detroit) | Comission Room, 5th Floor, Michigan Library & Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo Street, Lansing, Michigan, 48912

MGC Delegate Meeting
2023-06-23 10:00 - 11:45 (America/Detroit) | Forum at the Michigan Library & Historical Center, 702 W Kalamazoo St, Lansing, Michigan, 48915
Our July delegate meeting has been rescheduled to kick off the 2023 Barbara J Brown Family History Seminar featuring Drew Smith. Please note the different day and start time. Drew will be onsite in Lansing.

Using Trello for Project Management

Drew currently uses Trello to manage a volunteer project to research individuals buried in a forgotten cemetery. See how Trello may be a solution for your society’s project management needs.

This meeting will be held onsite in Lansing and virtually via Zoom.

Managing Society Digital Projects
2023-05-13 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Detroit) | Zoom meeting – registration required
An MGC Continuing Education Program.

Zoom meeting – registration requiredManaging Society Digital Projects with Kris Rzepczynski of the Archives of Michigan and Shelby Nelson of the Greater West Bloomfield Historical Society.Sharing about the process of large and small digital scanning processes, equipment needed, process management, and volunteer use.We estimate it to be about 1 hour, with a Q&A discussion. We welcome ANY interested society members to attend!

MGC Delegate Meeting
2023-05-11 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Detroit) | Michigan Library & Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo Street, Lansing, MI, 48912, United States
Hiring a Genealogy Speaker with Judy Nimer Muhn

How to find a good speaker, make arrangements for their speaking engagement, contracting, and handouts.

This will be a hybrid meeting, societies and delegates may participate onsite in Lansing or from a distance using Zoom. Please encourage your Program Team to attend.

This session will be onsite in the Forum at the Michigan Library and Historical Center and virtually on Zoom.

MGC Board Meeting
2023-05-11 09:00 - 10:30 (America/Detroit) | Comission Room, 5th Floor, Michigan Library & Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo Street, Lansing, Michigan, 48912
This will be an onsite meeting in the Commission Room, also available on Zoom for distance board members.

MGC Board Meeting
2023-04-13 09:00 - 11:00, 2022-12-08 09:00 - 10:30, 2022-11-10 09:00 - 10:30, 2022-10-13 09:00 - 10:30 (America/Detroit) | Virtual Zoom meeting, MI

MGC Delegate Meeting
2023-03-09 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Detroit) | Forum at the Michigan Library & Historical Center, 702 W Kalamazoo St, Lansing, Michigan, 48915
This will be a hybrid meeting. In addition to the in-person component at the Michigan Library & Historical Center, this meeting will be virtual using Zoom webinars.

Preparing for the Future: Connecting with Younger Researchers with Lauren K. PeightelLearn about newer trends in research, shifts in content interest, and perspectives to consider when trying to better connect with a growing younger membership, and increasing opportunities for meaningful internships, research work, and speaking. Through the experiences of a professional millennial, we’ll explore harmful stereotypes in the field and learn more about generational values and communication styles, leaving us with a stronger sense of hopeful possibility.

MGC Delegate Meeting
2023-01-12 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Detroit) | Zoom webinar, MI
Importance of Communications in Societies with Cynthia GrostickAre you a member of your society’s board? Do you hold a committee position? If so, one of the most important tools you have is communication. Unfortunately, not every society and/or member communicates. People tend not to join societies that rarely or don’t communicate. Lack of communication can be at best frustrating and at worst ……… Join us in January to learn about the importance of communication and learn some effective ways to communicate with your membership.

2022 MGC Fall Seminar featuring LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson
2022-11-12 08:45 - 17:00 UTC
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In partnership with the Archives of Michigan and the Library of Michigan, the Michigan Genealogical Council is proud to have LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson as our 2022 Virtual Fall Family History Seminar featured speaker on Saturday, November 12.
We offer our seminar virtually again this year. That means that you can participate in the sessions from the comfort of your home -no worries about driving, parking, waiting in lines for the restroom, or lunch.
Registration is required and includes all four sessions with LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, one session each from the staff of the Archives of Michigan and the Library of Michigan, and a downloadable syllabus.
Join us for these exciting topics.
8:45 – 9:00 am: Zoom sign in and Help for Attendees
9:00-9:15 am: Welcome and remarks Rozlyn Kelly, MGC President, Mark Harvey, Archives of Michigan State Archivist, and Adam Oster, Library of Michigan
9:15-10:15 am: Planning Research-LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson Planning Research will discuss the development of a sound research plan, the first step in the thorough research required by the Genealogy Proof Standard.
10:30-11:30 am: Strengthen Your Analysis: Transcribing and Abstracting-LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson Strengthen Your Analysis: Transcribing and Abstracting will discuss the ability to craft transcriptions and abstracts, an essential skill that is needed to accurately interpret handwritten records.
11:45 am-12:45 pm: Wills, Thrills and Chills: Digging into Probate Records-Kris Rzepczynski, Senior Archivist, Archives of MichiganWills, Thrills and Chills: Digging into Probate Records will provide an overview of probate records, the different types of records created, including wills, inventories, and calendars, the family history content to be discovered, and where to find them online and onsite. An update on the Archives of Michigan’s digitization efforts will also be given.
12:45 am – 1:15: pm Lunch Break
1:15 -2:15 pm: Meeting Standards for Narrative Genealogies, Lineages, and Pedigrees-LaBrenda Garrett-NelsonAn understanding of generally accepted formatting options is helpful in presenting information about family relationship and successive generations.
2:30 – 3:30 pm: An NGSQ Case Study: DNA Corroborates Oral Tradition-LaBrenda Garrett-NelsonThe case study that won the NGSQ 2020 Award for Excellence illustrated the information needed to make sound decisions on when DNA tests can or should be used in genealogical research, and how to meet DNA-specific Genealogy Standards.
3:45-4:45 pm: African American Newspaper Resources at the Library of Michigan-Mindy Babarskis, Michigan Collection Reference Librarian, Library of MichiganDiscover the range of digital and physical African American newspaper resources available at the Library of Michigan. Research tips and tricks for utilizing these resources will be presented along with interesting examples of what can be discovered.
4:45 – 5:00 pm: Closing Remarks – Rozlyn Kelly
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Bios
LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson
LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JD, LLM, CG®, FASG, earned a BA from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, and both a Law degree and a Master of Laws degree from New York University. She enjoyed a 35-year career as a tax lawyer before her 2013 retirement as a partner from the big four accounting firm of Ernst & Young, and is now a full-time genealogist focused on teaching and writing. She lectures frequently on standards and the proper documentation of genealogical work and proof arguments. She was elected as a trustee of the Board for Certification of Genealogists® in 2016, and will end her third term as BCG President in October 2022. LaBrenda also serves as the Registrar General of the Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage, a national lineage society that honors ancestors who were enslaved in the United States.
In 2021 LaBrenda was elected as the 170th Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists (ASG), the field’s honorary scholarly society. The ASG was founded in 1940 and is limited to fifty life-time members; election is based on the quality of a genealogist’s published work As explained in an ASG press release, LaBrenda “has a twenty-year record of writing family history, first as a dedicated amateur while practicing law, and then, since her retirement from that profession, as an authoritative writer and genealogical educator. Her compiled genealogical scholarship in journals such as National Genealogical Society Quarterly focuses on African-American families during and after enslavement, including combining DNA match evidence with traditional documentary evidence in a notoriously difficult field. Her educational publications include a guide to researching African-American family history in Laurens County, South Carolina, where she has roots—a primer with important methodological lessons applicable nationally—and an authoritative guide to genealogical research in the state of Alabama. For more information see her website https://www.LabGarrettGenealogy.com.
Mindy Babarskis
Mindy Babarskis is the Michigan Collection Reference Librarian at the Library of Michigan. Originally from Oakland County, Michigan, she left for college in Illinois where she received her BA in History from Wheaton College and her MLIS from Dominican University. Before starting at the Library of Michigan in 2021, she worked at Florida State University’s Strozier Library, the Kenneth Spencer Research Library at the University of Kansas, and at Lansing Community College Library.
Kris Rzepczynski
A Senior Archivist at the Archives of Michigan where he specializes in family history and Michigan research, Kris has worked in the genealogical community for more than 20 years. He is a former Vice President of Membership for the Federation of Genealogical Societies and a Past President of the Mid-Michigan Genealogical Society.

MGC Delegate meeting
2022-11-10 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Detroit) | Zoom webinar, MI
Websites & Social Media for Societies with Laura Hedgecock

Learn simple strategies and best practices that your society can use to communicate more effectively with members, would-be members, and the community at large.

The 2022 Lucy Mary Kellogg Award will be presented at our November 10 Delegate meeting.

Register
