Greetings Fellow Family History Sleuths,

Some of you might know that I write about genealogy for The Huffington Post (3 years now!), and while I cover a variety of topics, I always enjoy digging into the roots of this or that celebrity. Lately, I find myself drawn to stars with multi-cultural roots as that makes the exploration even more fun. My latest, Bruno Mars, wound up being a mélange of Puerto Rican, Filipino and Jewish with roots in Ukraine and Hungary. Quite the combo, eh? Read below to learn more and see if you agree that he looks like his grandfather!

And whether you live or have roots in Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Ukraine or Idaho, please accept my wishes for a warm and memorable family gathering this holiday season!

What Race is Bruno Mars?

Which of the following describes the heritage of Peter Gene Hernandez, better known as Bruno Mars?

• Ukrainian
• American
• Filipino
• Hispanic
• Jewish
• Hawaiian
• Puerto Rican
• European
• Hungarian
• Asian
• Spanish

The correct answer is all of the above. So riddle me this: What race is Bruno Mars?

Read full article.

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Genealogy Podcast - Listen now!

Was delighted to have the chance to chat recently with Marian Pierre-Louis of Fieldstone Commons about a wide range of genealogical topics. Why not give this podcast a listen the next time you’re surfing for relatives?

Listen to the podcast.

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Genealogy Round Up, December 6

Check out this article on roots travel in Alaska Air's magazine. You'll find Jen Wilson, Hager's Journeys, Southern California Genealogical Society and Family... and me in there! 
Travel Time 

Wow. Ellis Island more affected by Sandy than initially thought.
Hurricane Sandy: Power still out at Ellis Island, 2 million historic objects to be moved from site

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Genealogy Round Up, November 29

Just a friendly reminder that Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing would make a great gift for your genie friends this holiday season! 
Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing

A Veterans Day Tribute to Those Who Are Still Coming Home - from Vietnam, Korea, WWII and WWI

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Seton Shields Genealogical Grants

Congrats to our recent grant recipients! Don't forget that you can apply here.

November 2012
This month's grant was given to JewishGen, a valuable resource I've used many times over the years. If you have any Jewish heritage or have ever used the popular SteveMorse.org website, you're already familiar with all JewishGen has to offer, including countless databases and many other tools and resources. If not, I encourage you to visit and explore 

October 2012
Jackson County Genealogical Society in North Carolina has published a number of books in addition to their quarterly journal which has been provided to all members since 1991. The grant award will be used to reprint Volume II of their Macon County cemeteries book. 

September 2012
A donation was made to Cyndi's List because Cyndi Ingle Howells has been tirelessly providing an invaluable service (almost entirely at her own expense, not to speak of the countless hours she's dedicated) to the genealogical community since March 1996, so this is a token of appreciation. If you use her website (and you probably do!), please consider making a donation as well. 

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Upcoming Events

If you plan to be near any of the events where I'll be speaking, I would love to meet you. It's always a kick for me when folks mention that they read this newsletter, my blog, Huffington Post or whatever, so don't be shy about introducing yourself!

For more information on these events, please see my Events Calendar. And if you're interested in scheduling me, just click here.

• April 18, 2013 - Cedar Falls, IA (delivered live via Skype) - Cedar Falls Public Library - "Cold Cases: Genealogists, Coroners and the FBI"
  
• April 27, 2013 - Charlevoix, MI - Charlevoix Public Library - "Reverse Genealogy: Techniques for Finding Your Lost Loved Ones," "Find That Obituary," "Right Annie, Wrong Annie" and "Cases That Made My Brain Hurt"
  
• May 8—11, 2013 - Las Vegas, NV - NGS 2013 Family History Conference - The LVH-Las Vegas Hotel and Casino
  
• September 22 - October 7, 2013 - Legacy Family Tree 2013 Genealogy Cruise - Panama Canal Cruise
  
• November 2, 2013 - Pensacola, FL - West Florida Genealogical Society - "Right Annie, Wrong Annie," "Trace Your Roots with DNA," "Find That Obituary! Online Newspaper Research" and "Honoring Our Ancestors"

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