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.
Spring 2024 issue now available
You can read the Spring 2024 issue of American Ancestors magazine with your American Ancestors membership.
Volume 25, Number 1, Spring 2024
How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Genealogy
| In This Issue | Out & About with American Ancestors |
News | Obituaries |
10 Million Names Update | Staff Profile |
Your Member Benefits | Staff List |
Programs & Tours | Family Focus |
| The Enduring Power & Promise of Family History: Highlights from Our 2023 Annual Report |
Features
How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Genealogy James Heffernan | Regicide in the Family: My Search for John Dixwell Sarah Dixwell Brown
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Prompt This: Using ChatGPT and Other AI ChatBots for Genealogy Melanie McComb
| Of “Desdemona’s Struggle”: A Search for a Black Family in Civil War America Henry Tonks
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Perplexity: A New Type of AI Tool Maureen Taylor
| Building Connecticut’s Bookshelf Katie Heidsiek |
Columns
Genetics & Genealogy My Surprising DNA Test Results Nancy Caralyn Illman | From Our Collections The Johonnot Fire Bucket Gerald W. R. Ward |
State Spotlight The Louisiana Catholic Gumbo Kyle Hurst
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Download past issues
You can access and download all past issues of American Ancestors magazine from 2010 to present with your American Ancestors/NEHGS 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.
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LETTERS AND FEEDBACK
Email letters to magazine@nehgs.org or American Ancestors magazine, 10 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@nehgs.org. Please limit your submissions to 200 words or less; include your name and American Ancestors/NEHGS member number. We regret that we cannot publish or respond to every submission. Published submissions will be edited for clarity and length.
SUBMIT A BOOK NOTICE
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
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.