Thursday, May 30, 2019

SARA Genealogy Symposium a Success!

Tracing Your Arkansas Roots: Navigating the World of Lineage Societies,
National Register Listings and DNA, 2019

More than 75 people turned out for the May 4 symposium, “Tracing Your Arkansas Roots: Navigating the World of Lineage Societies, National Register Listings and DNA.”

The genealogy workshop at the Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives is held once a year. This year was among the most well-attended. Several attendees said the event was informative and welcoming. 

Melissa Nesbitt, SARA archival manager, presented information on lineage societies and tips for how to join them. Callie Williams, education and outreach coordinator with the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, spoke about the National Register of Historic Places, and Kermit Channell, executive director of the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory, discussed ways DNA can be used for genealogy research. His presentation, “Forensic DNA – Advances in Forensic Science,” gave attendees an overview of DNA in forensic science and how advanced the technology is today.

Mark your calendars for May 2, 2020! We’re already looking forward to another great genealogy symposium next year in Washington, Arkansas!

For more information on SARA events or holdings, contact Melissa Nesbitt at melissa.nesbitt@arkansas.gov.