About American Ancestors
An award-winning publication
American Ancestors is a unique, full-color magazine that comes out four times a year, and offers compelling information for family historians of all levels. Features cover useful genealogical sources, helpful research strategies, compelling historical accounts, and interesting case studies. American Ancestors is a benefit of membership starting at the Individual level, as both a print publication and an online PDF.
Winter 2026 issue now available
This issue of American Ancestors magazine provides guidance, resources, tips, and stories about conducting family history research in historic newspapers. As always, the issue contains information about our membership benefits, news, events, and educational opportunities.
Stories and Clues in Yesterday's NewsVolume 26, Number 4, Winter 2026
Read All About It! Using Newspapers in Family History Research
| A Message from the President and CEO | In This Issue |
Your Member Benefits | Programs & Tours |
News | Special Event Highlights |
On the Road with American Ancestors | 10 Million Names |
New Gifts Expand Youth Education | Youth Education: Building an Inclusive Youth Genealogy Program |
| Staff Profile | American Ancestors Staff |
| Member Notices |
Features
| Feature | Author(s) |
|---|---|
| Mining for Treasure in Newspapers | Rhonda R. McClure |
Researching Mortimer: How Newspapers Brought a Vermont Family Scandal to Light
| Valerie Beaudrault |
| The National Desertion Bureau Card Catalog: From Missing Husband Case Files to Family History Database | Gavin Beinart-Smollan and Jean Powers |
| Using Newspapers to Search for What Slavery Had Stolen: Excerpts from Last Seen | Judith Giesberg |
| Stories and Clues in Yesterday's News | Weekly Genealogist Readers |
| Chronicling Vital Records in Early America | Karin Wulf |
Columns
| Column | Title | Author |
|---|---|---|
| From Our Collections | Captain John Bonner and his Map | Gerald W. R. Ward |
| State Spotlight | Digitally Accessing Newspapers State by State | Kyle Hurst |
| Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center Spotlight | Preserving Family History in the Arthur S. Obermayer Papers | Henry Treadwell |
Access the members-only archive
Download past issues
You can access and download all past issues of American Ancestors magazine from 2010 to present with your American Ancestors membership.
Search past magazine issues
Searchable Database
Search the magazine database by name, date, keyword, and more. You can also access a database of past issues of New England Ancestors (2000-2009), predecessor to American Ancestors magazine.
Become a contributor
LETTERS AND FEEDBACK
Email letters to magazine@americanancestors.org or American Ancestors magazine, 101 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116. We regret that we cannot reply to every letter. Published letters will be edited for clarity and length.
Have you hit a brick wall in your research?
We seek stories of members’ most challenging “brick walls” for publication in American Ancestors. Send your story to magazine@americanancestors.org. Please limit your submissions to 200 words or less; include your name and American Ancestors member number. We regret that we cannot publish or respond to every submission. Published submissions will be edited for clarity and length.
SUBMIT A "FAMILY FOCUS" NOTICE
Recently published genealogies and other books
American Ancestors is pleased to list members’ recently published family history and source records publications. Books must be published within twelve months of the date of submission. Visit AmericanAncestors.org/Book-Notices
Other notices: Genealogies in Progress, Family Associations, DNA Studies, and Websites
Genealogies in progress, family association events, and DNA studies in progress are announced free for members on a space-available basis. (The same notice will be published only once per year.) Event notices should be submitted at least six to nine months prior to the event date. Visit AmericanAncestors.org/Notices
SUBMIT AN ARTICLE
For information on writing and submitting an article to American Ancestors, please click here to review our writer’s guidelines.