Educational Events and the Latest Genealogy News

Mark your calendars for these August webinars presented by our Member Societies!

Don't miss this GREAT opportunity to learn about the Underground Railroad in Northeastern Illinois!

Dr. Larry McClellan will present "Freedom Seekers and the Underground Railroad in Northeastern Illinois" on Saturday August 14th, 1:00pm. This Zoom Webinar will be hosted by the North Suburban Genealogical Society and the Glenview Public Library.

Dr. McClellan will lecture on the movement of fugitive slaves into Illinois and through the Chicago region, and the assistance given through the networks of the Underground Railroad.

Dr. Larry McClellan is Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Community Studies at Governors State University. He has written extensively on the Underground Railroad in Illinois and on the history of the region south of Chicago and its communities. He was the principal author of applications that added sites in Crete, Lockport and on the Little Calumet River to the National Park Service registry of significant Underground Railroad sites in America. He has written two books,  The Underground Railroad South of Chicago and To the River: The Remarkable Journey of Caroline Quarlls, a Freedom Seeker on the Underground Railroad.

CLICK HERE to register for this program!

ISGS Webinar hosted by the Kane County Genealogical Society!
Join us on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021 at 7:00 PM Central for Pam Vestal's program – "What the Heck Does That Say? Overcoming Difficult Handwriting."

One of the biggest hurdles to overcome in genealogy is the seemingly illegible handwriting in our ancestors' records. Whether you struggle to navigate colonial penmanship that doesn't even look like English or wrestle with contemporary documents that are poorly written, a few good strategies can make all the difference. We'll look at more than 20 techniques to help you figure out what the chicken scratches on the page say, as well as what the style of writing might reveal about our ancestors. 

CLICK HERE to register!

Genealogy News to Use

Ancestry has recently updated their Terms of Service, and the changes affect the photographs and digitized documents you upload to your family trees. Learn more from the Legal Genealogist, Judy Russell:

"One big change at Ancestry"

And Ancestry's second update- "Ancestry retreats"

Did you know...? 2026 will mark the nation's 250th Anniversary- the U.S. semiquincentennial! The National Archives is already joining forces with federal agencies to prepare for the celebration. You can learn more about upcoming planning at America250.org!

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