Join us at the Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives and learn how to go beyond the basics of researching family history
during a free genealogy workshop! The event is 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 4, at the WPA Gymnasium at the Historic
Washington State Park at 100 S.W. Morrison St.
Melissa Nesbitt, SARA archival
manager, will present
information on lineage societies and tips for how to join them.
Lineage societies are
organizations that honor descendants of a specific heritage or event. Members
must prove they deserve memberships. Nesbitt will explain the benefits of these
societies, best research practices and required documentation.
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| From left to right, speakers Callie Williams, Kermit Channell and Melissa Nesbitt |
Kermit Channell, executive
director of the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory, will talk about ways DNA can
be used for genealogy research. His presentation, “Forensic DNA – Advances in
Forensic Science,” will give a basic overview of DNA in forensic science and
how advanced the technology is today.
Callie Williams, education and outreach
coordinator with the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, will talk about
the National Register of Historic Places, which is the official list of the
nation's historic places worthy of preservation. The register is part of a
national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to
identify, evaluate and protect America's historic and archaeological resources.
Williams will discuss the history and development of the register
and the process for getting on the list.
Light refreshments and lunch will be provided. The deadline to
reserve a seat is April 29 in order to get lunch. Be sure to tell us your lunch preference: beef, chicken or vegetarian!
Teachers can earn up to three hours of professional development
credit by attending. After the presentations, attendees also can do research at
SARA, ask for help on research projects or network.
The event is free, but registration is required. Reservations can
be made online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tracing-your-arkansas-roots-tickets-60087060014 or by contacting the Arkansas State Archives at 501-682-6900. For more information, contact Melissa Nesbitt at melissa.nesbitt@arkansas.gov.
