Check Out Megan Smolenyak's New Look

....and her new book.

In celebration of her new book, Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing (Kensington, 2012), internationally-known Megan Smolenyak has developed a new website giving her a whole new look.

The website, MeganSmolenyak.com, is fresh, clean and inviting, giving a new crop of genealogists an approachable way to get to know Megan and her love of genealogy.

After checking out the new website I gave Megan a call to get her take on the site and what's going on in her life.

Megan tells me that it was her new book that sparked the idea for the new website. She wanted to provide a site that wasn't overwhelming for a more mainstream audience.

The main page of the website features a photo of travel trunks taken by Megan at Ellis Island.  Megan says it's the first thing you see when entering the immigration building at Ellis Island and really gives a sense of our ancestors journey to America.

A fun, whimsical feature on Megan site is the appearance of floating, glowing circles on the individual trunks. Viewers need to hover over the circles to see what they reveal, creating a click and see what's behind this curtain effect that leads the viewer to more in-depth content.

One of the things Megan likes the best about her new website is that it is easy to navigate. "It's straight forward and easy for people to find the information they are looking for."

On the very front of the home page is a short 3 1/2 minute video. Megan says, "“I hope people watch the video. It’s a fun introduction.”

What About the Old Website?

Have no fear, the old website isn't going away. Her Honoring Our Ancestors site will remain firmly in place and act as a repository for the in-depth and historical content that already exists on the site.

What's Happening Next?

In the coming months Megan will be doing book signings at a number of Barnes & Noble bookstores in the NJ/Philadelphia/DC area promoting Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing which is being released Tuesday, January 31, 2011.

Be on the lookout for book signings coming to your area.

Congratulations Megan, on the new website and the new book!

Boston University Offers New Genealogical Writing Course

Boston University, home to the Certificate in Genealogical Research, is offering a new one-week writing program this summer called "Writing Family History Narratives and Other Genealogical Works."  The course will be taught by Dr. John Philip Colletta and Dr. Thomas Wright Jones and will run from July 25-29, 2011.

I caught up with Program Director, Melinde Lutz Byrne and asked her some questions about the new program.

Why did you decide to create a writing course?

Three big reasons - 1. Most students seem to be problem-solvers or writers, but not both. Since BU's certificate program addresses problem-solving in many modules, providing something to develop writing skills had potential to be in big demand. 2+3. John and Tom are two excellent instructors with different strengths, which will stretch students in both creative and technical directions.

Is this class on-location or on-line?

The writing course is contracted to be an onsite class.

Is the class limited to a certain number of students?

I understand that one day may be in a computer lab now, and the size of the lab BU provides will limit the overall number.

Is the class almost sold out?

I believe we had quite a few within minutes of the announcement at NERGC - but not knowing the current number or the capacity of the lab - let's just say there is lots of interest.

Who would most benefit from this class? 

I think people who are deeply involved in research are sometimes 'way behind on writing up their results. If you don't cite as you go, you probably don't write as you go, either. Learning to put it down in an interesting, technically precise manner may improve not only writing skills but demonstrate big holes in research that looked complete when they're just a stack of notes. No matter what stage you're in with your research, it is not too soon (or too late) to focus on writing it up well.

How should students prepare for this class? 

Probably the most valuable thing students should have in advance is some research experience in one or more problems. It will be most useful to have drafts, first efforts, and/or things in need of polishing. Although examples will be provided in the classroom, learning is most meaningful when it is tied to things you know and have personally struggled to solve.

What should students expect of Boston at the end of July? How should they pack and should they expect any free time for activities such as catching a Red Sox game? 

July is always hot and sometimes quite humid. If students opt to stay in the dorms, it is more than half a mile to the campus buildings where most classes will be held, so comfortable shoes are a must. There is a green line subway on the surface that connects directly to downtown Boston and all the great dining, theater, museums, and parks are a short ride away. The Charles River is only a few blocks away, where there are jogging paths and picnic spots. Red Sox night games are great fun - the crowds are huge and Fenway Park is just a few blocks from campus. Getting tickets are another matter!

Are the classrooms and the on-campus housing air conditioned? 

Yes, as far as I know we will have top notch accommodations.

Do the students need to bring their own laptops or other equipment? 

Just about everyone comes to the onsite classes with a laptop anyway. These days it is pretty much assumed that you'll have one - there is little other way to do the assignments.

What strengths does each instructor bring to the course? 

Dr. Jones comes from a strong education background with decades' worth of research experience and almost ten years of editorial red ink. His command of citation principles and evaluation techniques makes him a great communicator of genealogical writing excellence. Dr. Colletta is a master of expression who can paint a scene or set the stage in that strange foreign country called the past in a compelling way. Combining the two should make for an incredible class!

This is the second course for the BU Genealogy Certificate program. Will there be other courses in the future? 

BU has not done a one week format previously and we are looking at this offering to judge if it will be a viable thing going forward. No plans are in place, but the alumnae of the certificate program have asked for several things and we always listen. I suspect an advanced forensic unit with Dr. Boyle and Dr. FitzPatrick would be in great demand. Pairing outstanding investigators who are also outstanding teachers has to make for great genealogical instruction, don't you agree?

Melinde Lutz Byrne, FASG, CG
Program Director for the Boston University Certificate in Genealogical Research program

A fellow and president of the American Society of Genealogists, Melinde Lutz Byrne is one of only 50 living genealogists elected to the Society based on the quality and quantity of their published work. A cultural anthropologist and archivist, she is also vice president of the Massachusetts Genealogical Council, CEO of the Graceful Companies, and a Donald Lines Jacobus Award Winner. A national lecturer and noted author of numerous books, including volumes I and II of The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Byrne is editor of the New Hampshire Genealogical Record and co-editor of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly.

Photo Caption: Program Director Melinde Lutz Byrne with a Boston University staff member.
Photo by Marian Pierre-Louis, April 2011

Behind the Scenes at "Who Do You Think You Are?"

Last year during the inaugural season one of NBC's television program Who Do You Think You Are? (WDYTYA), genealogist Megan Smolenyak worked behind the scenes researching five individual episodes. Now she’s giving us a behind the camera look at what it was like to work for the show.

How does someone get to be a WDYTYA researcher? Do they just call you up?

If you don’t already work for Ancestry.com, the best way to be selected is to be a guru in a particular locality or niche. If you specialize in a particular locality that ends up relating to a celebrity being featured on the show then you could get called.

How many weeks are you given to research a single person’s ancestry? How long does it actually take to do the research?

I wasn’t given time limits but the pace was often frantic. A typical episode is 500-700 hours collectively for all the researchers involved. Research includes the entire family tree and then the best stories are investigated. TV shows are always pedal to the metal. They can be really intense. Also, they have to take into consideration the schedule of the celebrity who is very busy.

How much time is the researcher filmed talking to a celebrity vs. how much actually gets on tv?

The Emmitt Smith taping with me was about a half hour. The part of the interview that included me that was shown lasted maybe a minute. Susan Sarandon’s episode actually taped several hours and then showed a few snippets of my interview with her.

How real are the celebrities’ reactions?

The celebrity reactions are for real. The celebrities are hearing the information for the first time when they are filmed. Emmitt learned he was going to Africa when he taped the scene with me and then he left later that same day. He didn’t know in advance.

What is that non-disclosure agreement all about that researchers must sign? 

Every show on television has that. When you work on the show you are not allowed to say anything about working on the episode before it airs.

Who were some of the stars that you worked with?

I researched everybody but Spike Lee and Matthew Broderick in the first season, and was on air in the Susan Sarandon and Emmitt Smith episodes. I also researched the episodes for Brooke Shields, Sarah Jessica Parker and Lisa Kudrow.

How much time did you get to spend researching each celebrity?

Brooke Shields was the most complicated. With the other celebrities it really varied. Susan Sarandon was the least amount of time but it was focused on a specific question that was critical to her episode.

Was your time with the celebrities restricted to on-camera time? Did you get to talk to the stars about anything besides family history?

They are very protective of the celebrities. There’s minimal time to chat while taping. I ran into Emmitt Smith later in the hotel after taping and we talked for a long time. He asked lots of questions about his family and was gracious with everyone.

Did the celebrities seem genuinely interested in their family history?

Yes. It was real. I don’t think they would have done it if they weren’t genuinely interested because it’s a big time commitment for them.

Which celebrities would you like to see on a future season of Who Do You Think You Are?

I would like to see Michelle Obama because she has such diverse ancestry. But it’s unlikely that she would do any genealogy show at present. It’s so hard to choose one celebrity because I think every family has an interesting history. I always say there’s no such thing as a boring family!

Megan Smolenyak is the author of Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History, A Companion to the NBC Series.

Megan will be appearing at a book signing for Who Do You Think You Are? at the Tattered Cover Bookstore at Colfax, Colorado on March 30, 2011.

Discussing Civil War photos with Maureen Taylor

Recently I had the opportunity to interview Maureen A. Taylor, the Photo Detective, about her new book Finding the Civil War in Your Family Album.

What prompted you to write this book?

I was very involved with writing The Last Muster. Then the editors asked me to write about the Civil War. The book didn’t happen at that time but the more I researched it the more I realized there wasn’t a lot of information out there on photos of the Civil War. Now with the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War coming up on April 12, 2011 the timing was perfect.

What types of photos are included in the book?

There are many types of photos including ambrotypes, tintypes and others. Surprisingly, ambrotypes were more popular at the time of the Civil War than expected. There were many ambrotypes of soldiers and more tintypes of families.

Where do the photos in the book come from?

Some of the photos are from the Library of Congress collection, some from my personal collection and some from the collection of my friend and colleague, Jane Schwerdtfeger. Several of the photos were discovered during photo consultations at conference appearances.

How common is it to find Civil War photos in a family collection?

Most family collections start about 1900. However, if a family had a Civil War soldier then the book will help them find a photo. There was a famous quote that said just about ever Civil War soldier had their photo taken.

What tip would you give to researchers who are looking for Civil War photos of their ancestors?

They should research the regiment that their ancestor belonged to. Then they should search for a re-enactment group specific to that regiment. The re-enactment groups do extensive research on the individuals in the unit.

What is the significance of the purple color of the cover of the book?

The color purple represents valor which seemed appropriate for representing the soldiers of the Civil War.

For more information, read my previous review of Finding the Civil War in Your Family Album.

Top Chef Genealogist: Megan Smolenyak

Last night the reality program Top Chef on Bravo did just what I love most.  They incorporated a segment on genealogy into one of their episodes.  I love that mainstream television is catching on to how much fun genealogy and family history is.  I want to see more programs feature family history research about their stars.  Another person who feels the same way as I do is internationally-known genealogist, Megan Smolenyak.  Megan compiled the family history featured in last night's show.

So what is Top Chef all about?  I have to admit that before last night I had never watched the show.  I was eagerly awaiting the episode, yet with great hesitation, not knowing how they were going to handle family history.  Looking back, considering it was a cooking show, they gave more than expected.

The show features famous chefs who are competing for the Top Chef title with eliminations being made each week.  On this episode the five remaining chefs had to compete by preparing food quickly on the short ferry ride over to Ellis Island.  Once they arrived, however, the family history began.

The show's host, Padma Lakshmi, told the contestants that for their next competition they would be creating heritage meals based on their ancestry.  Next, parents or spouses of the contestants walked out and gave them books with their family history compiled by Megan Smolenyak.

The Contestants

The next part of the show was more sentimental and emotional as the contestants reunited with the loved ones and spent time learning about their heritage. The contestants included:

Tiffany Derry from Dallas, TX who decided to cook a southern dish based on her southern roots.

Richard Blais from Atlanta, GA who discovered his English and Irish roots.

Michael Isabella from Washington D.C. who focused in on his Italian heritage despite the fact that he normally doesn't cook Italian cuisine.

Carla Hall from Washington D.C. who also connected with her southern roots for the heritage cuisine contest.

Antonia Lofaso from Los Angeles, CA who discovered her 3/4 Italian and 1/4 Jewish heritage.  She decided to focus on Italian cuisine for the competition.

The heritage moment/reunion was well-done and enjoyable but, of course, had to come to an end so that the contestants could get back to the business of the competition.  Despite not be very experienced with reality cooking shows I found the episode to be a lot of fun.

Megan Smolenyak - The Research Behind the Show

I had the opportunity to interview Megan briefly this morning about her involvement with the show.

Megan described a whirlwind research project where she had less than a month to research numerous cast members.  In the week before the project deadline she was able to have some contact with family members to gather further information and photographs.  Megan conducted the genealogical research without having a specific goal set by the television producers.  She went back as far as she could given the very brief time she had. She then summarized the history and the most interesting stories for the producers.  She did not get to speak with the contestants themselves during her work.

On average Megan was able to get back five generations to reveal information about the great, grandparents of the show's contestants.   One of the interesting tidbits discovered was that two of the contestants, Antonia Lofaso and Michael Isabella area likely distant cousins, both having ancestry within the Antonacci family of Italy.

For another contestant, Carla Hall, Megan was able to tell her of her strong southern roots in South Carolina, Georgia, Missouri, Alabama and Tennessee. She revealed that one of Carla's paternal great grandfathers was a free man of color born in Georgia who owned his own printing business.  And a great grandfather on Carla's maternal side from Tennessee served with the US Colored Troops during the Civil War. 

Megan loves to get the word out about genealogy and encourages everyone to start exploring their family history.  She would like to see more shows, particularly those focused on fashion, food and home design, feature more heritage inspired content like we saw on Top Chef last night.

An Interview with Leslie Albrecht Huber, Author of The Journey Takers

Leslie Albrecht Huber, the author of The Journey Takers, will be speaking at the New England Regional Genealogical Conference in April 2011. I recently had the chance to talk to her about her book.

The Journey Takers is part family history, part historical fiction and part memoir. It describes the real life journey of Leslie’s ancestors who left Europe and made the arduous journey to America. She includes factual details of her ancestors mixed in with fictional snapshots of their lives based on the social history of the time and places they lived. The constant thread running through the book is Leslie’s own story as she shares her personal journey of discovery against the changing background of her life.

The Writer Inside

Leslie has wanted to write a book since she was five years old. The desire for writing has been a constant in her life. When she was a twenty-one year old college student she traveled to Germany for an internship. During this trip she researched the lives of her Albrecht ancestors. The story of this family appears in the first four chapters of The Journey Takers. Right after she got home from Germany she started writing her book.

The book has been a work in progress for many years. Leslie re-wrote the book several times as she evolved as a writer. She had never intended The Journey Takers to be a family history. She wanted to write a book that everyone could relate to. She worked to create the story of the ordinary immigrant experience based on her own family.

Writing Groups

During the process of writing the book, Leslie participated in a writing group. I was very curious about the impact of the writing group on her work. She joined a writing group while a graduate student in Madison, Wisconsin. The group met twice a month with the participants submitting their materials in advance for critique. Leslie said that one of the things a writing group teaches you is how to handle feedback. She explained, “It’s important for writers to get used to handling criticism. It helps you become a better writer." Participating in a writing group can also build a writer’s confidence.

Leslie cautions, however, that not all writing groups are the same. She recommends attending a few meetings of a writing group before officially joining to make sure there is a good fit. When you find the right group it can be a great support for your writing development.

Distant Relatives Come Knocking

After writing The Journey Takers, Leslie received many emails from distant relatives. She enjoyed hearing from people who shared her same ancestors. Publishing the book has strengthened her ties with living descendants and reminds her of all they have in common.

The people of Wayne County, Utah so strongly identify with parts of her book that to them it feels like their local history. This past summer Leslie drove across country with her children on a promotional tour and got to visit all the American ancestral locations in her book. Some of them she visited for the very first time.

Social History

One of things I like best about the book is the inclusion of social history as a tool to bring alive the stories of her ancestors. Leslie explained that when beginning a new genealogical research project she often starts with a general history book of her target geographical region. She feels this is important to put the records she is researching within context. When there is a lack of records, which happens quite often, social history can help us connect to our ancestors in a way that otherwise wouldn’t be possible.

Write Your Own Family History

When it comes to encouraging others to write their own family history, Leslie says, “Just do it! Leave the worry and hesitation behind." Your family history doesn’t need to be a book or even be very long. It just needs to matter to your family. Leslie also suggests not waiting until you have researched “the last piece” of information. Set a goal and a deadline and get started.

Leslie Albrecht Huber will be presenting “Journey Takers: An Inside Look at Immigration Research” on Thursday, April 7, 2011 at 12:15pm at the New England Regional Genealogical Conference (NERGC). NERGC is being held in Springfield, Massachusetts from April 6-10, 2011.