Greetings Fellow Family History Sleuths,

Here's hoping this finds most of you safe at home making lots of progress on your genealogical endeavors. My husband's working from home for at least another few weeks, and I thought you might enjoy a peek at his coronavirus gear.

This month's issue is especially geared for those with a little time on their hands. There's a fun radio interview I did with Alison Stewart of WNYC's All of It, a few books (and bookshelves) you might want to check out, videos ranging from a charming 3-year-old singing to a DNA tale, reflections on the 1918 pandemic, and volunteer/work opportunities for genealogists such as transcribing and contact tracing.

Until next time, whether you're harboring at home or venturing out into the big, wide world, stay safe!

Tracing Your Family Tree at Home

Phil Sutton of the NYPL and I had a great time chatting about genealogy recently on All Of It with Alison Stewart. You can click here or on the image above to listen to "Tracing Your Family Tree at Home." Enjoy!

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Final Seton Shields Genealogy Grant

There are only a few days left before the deadline, so don't delay in applying for the final Seton Shields genealogy grant!

You can apply here. Be sure to check out the cool projects I've had the opportunity to contribute to over the years, plus an article that will give you a behind-the-scenes peek into my grants program (and might help you increase your odds of being selected).

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Genealogy Round Up, May 13

The Zoom Era Inspires a ‘Bookshelf Championship’ in Portugal – One of the modest silver linings of this pandemic is that I now realize that I'm far from the only one who still has shelves and shelves of physical books. Yeah, I have digital ones, too, but I just love actual books and have been buying little stashes from my favorite local indie, Tombolo Books. They're even offering drop-off delivery and drive-by pick-up services these days!

Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears by Emma Sophia (age 3) – 3 year old Emma Sophia of Ireland sings "Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears," the song Brendan Graham wrote about another Irish girl, Annie Moore of Ellis Island. And it's absolutely lovely.

A Trove of Sad, Funny, and Familiar Stories From the 1918 Flu Pandemic – With Covid-19, we're sort of walking in our ancestors' footsteps. Maybe there's something we can learn from them.

The Irish Heritage of the Remarkable Anne Meara – Sadly, seems an appropriate time to re-share this. RIP, Jerry Stiller. Together again.

COVID-19 Contact Tracing – Free online Johns Hopkins class on Contact Tracing for those who might be interested. Put those genealogical skills to excellent use!

In Search of Our Ancestors – Just a reminder that if you're looking for a soothing genealogical read these days, you might enjoy this.

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Genealogy Round Up, April 29

The Five: The Lives of Jack the Ripper's Women by Hallie Rubenhold – Genealogists will appreciate the research that went into this book.

I've had 2 really daunting Army cases recently. Both had me concerned that I wouldn't be able to solve them. You can check out the details (and the outcome!) here.

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Genealogy Round Up, April 23

Image Credit: Dona N.

Citizen Archivists Triple Contributions to National Archives Catalog During Pandemic – Well done, genealogists!

DNA Stories: A Tale of Two Fathers – For my fellow genies at home with a little time on their hands, thought I'd share this Y-DNA story (VIDEO). The outcome might not be what you're expecting!

The Evolution of the American Census – Fascinating look at how U.S. census questions have changed over time!

Soldier Accounted For From Korean War (Crosby, L.) – Welcome home, PFC Louis "Nelson" Crosby. Honored to have researched your family. (2004)

Pysanka Museum, the world's only museum dedicated to the Ukrainian Easter egg – Pysanka Museum?!

Total Legal Victory in Missouri for Genealogy and Open Records!

Trailer—The Unforgettable Augustus Post – You might want to check this film out as it's semi-genealogical and this fellow had quite a life! (It aired recently on PBS; thanks to Kat Kulkoski for the heads up!)

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Upcoming Events

After traveling around and speaking in 40 states and half a dozen countries, I decided to take a breather from the road to tend to some projects. That said, I'm sharing exceptions here. And by the way, you can see if I’ll be in your area any time by checking my Events Calendar.

• July 29, 2020 – FEMA Book Club: "Who Do You Think You Are?"

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