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Free Webinar: Applying to Revolutionary War Lineage Societies
December 7, 2023
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Online Course: New Jersey Research
Wednesdays | Nov 29 - Dec 20
Hampton Court in London
Virtual Benefit Honoring Historian and Author Lucy Worsley
January 25, 2024
Lucy Worsley

Last Chance! Submit a Proposal for the International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences 2024

The 36th ICGHS is now accepting proposals for presentations by interested scholars, historians, and researchers. Presentations should relate to the theme of this year's congress: "Origins, Journeys, and Destinations." Deadline for proposals is November 15.

Announcing the 2024 Young Family Historians Essay Contest

This year's essay contest is now open for students enrolled in grades 4–12 in public, private, parochial, and home schools across the nation and US territories. Participants are asked to share a story from their personal family history and to explain how lessons from that story can apply to their life today.

10 Million Names is a new initiative to recover the names and stories of the estimated 10 million men, women, and children of African descent who were enslaved in America between the 1500s and 1865.

Together with a collaborative network of genealogists, cultural organizations, and community-based family historians, we will amplify centuries of family stories, connect researchers and data partners with people seeking answers to family history questions, and expand access to information about enslaved African Americans.

Discover More

10 Million Names in the News

10 Million Names

Download Free Research Guides

On Demand: Building Your Genealogical Skills

Take your research skills to the next level! Whether you are new to genealogy, want to refresh your skills, or learn best practices, this course will help you get the most out of your family history research.

AmericanAncestors.org Named One of 101 Best Websites for Genealogy in 2023

We are pleased to be included on this year's list of 101 Best Genealogy Websites from Family Tree Magazine. Released annually, this list compiles the best online tools available to assist the research of hobbyist genealogists. Visit FamilyTreeMagazine.com to see the full list for 2023.

Family Tree Magazine 202 Best Websites 2023

Where Were Your Ancestors during the Boston Tea Party?

In partnership with the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, we are pleased to introduce the Boston Tea Party Descendants Program. Our mission is to foster interest in genealogical connections to participants in the Boston Tea Party, their families, and those involved in the making of colonial rebellion in Boston.

Apply Now

Explore Resources on our Site

Illustration: Destruction of Tea at Boston Harbor

Family History Curriculum

Classroom-Ready Lesson Plans for Students K-12

Developed by experts at American Ancestors/NEHGS, this free-to-access national curriculum is designed to expose students in grades 4 through 6 to the concepts, benefits, and joys of family history.

...Over its long life, [American Ancestors/NEHGS] has gathered together the largest collection of original materials about the British people of North America. Its Great Migration study, a continuing study, has also published the most authoritative record of, quite literally, the tens of thousands of British subjects who helped found New England. So, your contributions are unique. And something of which everyone who is a part of it can, legitimately, be very proud of. Human stories of our collective past are at the heart of your work, and I’d like to thank you for helping to keep those stories alive. It is our emotional DNA. And immensely valuable for this generation and our successors.
Sir John Major, KG CH

Courses On Demand: Educational experiences by our experts, at your convenience

Enjoy some of our most recent and popular courses on your schedule. Each course includes recorded lectures, handouts, activities, and more. Brush up on your research skills and explore topics across the field of genealogy with Courses On Demand!

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Search 1.4 billion names to find your ancestors' records

Search records from all over the world now

I can't tell you how great it feels to be so supported by NEHGS and those of you who bring together such quality programming and make sure it goes as planned.  The online courses, the website, the databases, the "chat with a genealogist" opportunities, the list goes on . . . it all is simply a treasure.  For years my mom was a member of NEHGS and found it so helpful; I just wish she were still alive to attend and enjoy with me the courses now offered.  She would be delighted to know that I'm following in her footsteps.
Barbara Owens

Vita Brevis is 3 Million Views Old!

Vita Brevis, our family history blog, recently marked an important milestone: 3,000,000 page views since it launched in January 2014. Join editor Scott C. Steward for a look back on some of the most popular posts, from research advice to celebrity genealogies to personal stories of family connections made through genealogical research.

Vita Brevis

Upcoming Events

Seminar
Online
Paid

New Jersey Research: Four Centuries of History and Genealogy

Throughout its history—from Dutch colony to English Province to statehood—New Jersey has been characterized by its ethnic and religious diversity. Immigrants settled within its borders attracted by fertile land, industry, and religious tolerance. Despite its long history, however, New Jersey is known for several gaps in its records.

November 29, 2023 and December 6, 13, 20, 2023
Lecture
Online
Free

The Chelsea Carol Incident of 1949

In this webinar, Dr. Miriam Mora discusses a story she uncovered in her research in the archives of the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center: How a Jewish family’s 1949 request for inclusivity around Christmas carols and pageants in their public school led to a widespread misunderstanding, and eventually caused panic and uproar within the Jewish community of Chelsea, Massachusetts.

Presented by Dr. Miriam Eve Mora
December 11, 2023

Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center

Lecture
Online
Free

Family History Roundtable: Getting Family Involved in Your Research

Join us for this engaging panel discussion with our genealogists as they discuss their tips for getting family involved in your research—including strategies for sharing research findings, interviewing family members, asking relatives to take DNA tests, and more. This is the first episode in our new panel discussion series, Family History Roundtable.
 

December 12, 2023
Kathleen Mackenzie
Author Event
Online
Free

Neil King with American Ramble: A Walk of Memory and Renewal

Neil King Jr.’s desire to walk from Washington, D.C., to New York City began as a whim and soon became an obsession. Over an extraordinary 26 days, he journeyed through historic battlefields and cemeteries, over the Mason-Dixon line, past Quaker and Amish farms, along Valley Forge stream beds, atop a New Jersey trash mound, across New York Harbor, and finally, to his ultimate destination: the Ramble, where a tangle of pathways converges in New York’s Central Park.

December 12, 2023

American Inspiration

Lecture
Online
Free

What's New At American Ancestors

Stay up to date with what’s new at American Ancestors with this webinar series!

December 14, 2023
Courses On Demand
Online
Paid

On Demand: Pennsylvania Research: Four Centuries of History and Genealogy

Whether your ancestors arrived in Pennsylvania during the colonial period or the twentieth century, this four-week online seminar will review essential resources for exploring your Pennsylvania roots.

 

Available for purchase until:

December 31, 2023

The Brue Family Learning Center

Browse all upcoming events in our new Event Calendar

Recent Publications

Statement of Inclusion

A message from D. Brenton Simons, President and CEO