BPL 2021 Family History Month Programs Kick Off on October 2

 

The Birmingham Public Library is hosting its annual Family History Month celebration. Seven programs, all virtual, will be held, kicking off Saturday, October 2, 2021, and concluding on Thursday, October 28. 

To register for these Zoom programs, go to the BPL website and register on the event calendar.

 Since being passed by Congress in 2001, Family History Month as been observed annually during the month of October. 

 Family History Month encourages people to do research into their past to learn more about their ancestors. It is a great time to look into your genealogy to gain knowledge of your family tree.

 Here is a description of BPL’s seven programs. If you want to learn more about genealogy and how to research your family tree, check out the many genealogy programs held throughout the year by BPL’s Southern History Department.

 Hidden No More: Locating Enslaved Persons in Local Legal Records, Saturday, October 2, 2:00 p.m. Virtual.

This is a Zoom program. Visit www.cobpl.org, go to the event calendar and click on the program. 

 

Details: In his presentation “Hidden No More: Locating Enslaved Persons in Local Legal Records” Montgomery County, Alabama archivist Dallas Hanbury shows how researchers can use mortgages, estate files, wills, and more, to locate enslaved people in local legal records. He also shows how scholars can use these documents to gain an understanding of how slavery manifested itself in communities across the South, as well as to help restore humanity to the enslaved persons formerly hidden in the historical record. 

The presenter, Dallas Hanbury, is the county archivist for Montgomery County. He has a master’s in history with emphasis on public archives and a doctorate in public history, both from Middle Tennessee State University. Hanbury is well respected in the archives and history field, as highlighted in his bio.

 

 Every House Has a History Tuesday, October 5, 10:00 a.m. Virtual. 

This is a Zoom program. Visit www.cobpl.org, go to the event calendar and click on the program. 

Details: Jefferson County enjoys a rich architectural heritage. This talk will introduce you to sources available at the Birmingham Public Library Archives Department to help you locate vintage photos of your house, building, or church; determine the age of the structure, and learn who has lived or worked there.

 How Our Ancestors Were Born Tuesday, October 12, 12:00 p.m. Virtual. 

This is a Zoom program. Visit www.cobpl.org, go to the event calendar and click on the program. 

Details: Looking for birth records? Birth certificates are great, but don't forget about all the other records that can give you clues about an ancestor's date and place of birth and their parentage.

How Our Ancestors Lived Tuesday, October 19, 12:00 p.m. Virtual.

This is a Zoom program. Visit www.cobpl.org, go to the event calendar and click on the program. 

Details: Get to know your ancestors as individuals with a fresh look at them and the records they left behind. We’ll also discuss unusual avenues of exploration into their everyday lives. 

Fantasy versus Fact in Online Genetic Genealogy Platforms and Q & A Thursday, October 21, 12:00 p.m. Virtual. 

This is a Zoom program. Visit www.cobpl.org, go to the event calendar and click on the program. 

Details: If a DNA test website does not support genealogical research to your satisfaction, you need to consider what it actually provides. Paul Boncella examines DNA ancestry service products to distinguish between expectation and delivery, and he then answers questions on this and any aspect of genetic genealogy. 

How Our Ancestors Died Tuesday, October 26, 12:00 p.m. Virtual.

This is a Zoom program. Visit www.cobpl.org, go to the event calendar and click on the program. 

Details: When you think about what our ancestors had to face, it’s amazing that any of them survived long enough to grow old. In this course we’ll examine what kinds of information you can locate in death records and take a look at some of the challenges our ancestors had to overcome just to stay alive.

Choosing Relatives to Test for Genetic Genealogy and Q & A Now Thursday, October 28, 12:00 p.m. Virtual. 

This is a Zoom program. Visit www.cobpl.org, go to the event calendar and click on the program. 

Details: Now that you have tested at one or more of the major DNA ancestry services, what more can you do to harness the power of genetic matching? Paul Boncella shows how testing various family members can focus and enhance your research, and he then answers questions on this and any aspect of genetic genealogy.