Developed by experts at American Ancestors/NEHGS, this free-to-access national curriculum is designed to expose students in grades 4 through 6 to the concepts, benefits, and joys of family history.
Download Free Research Guides
Listen to Rare Audio From Formerly Enslaved People
ABC News Correspondent Alex Presha sat down with 10 Million Names historians Dr. Kendra Field and Dr. Vincent Brown to discuss the impact of first-hand accounts, exploring the legacy of slavery through rare and historic audio interviews with formerly enslaved individuals that were recorded in the 1940s and ’70s.
10 Million Names is a new initiative to recover the names and stories of the estimated 10 million men, women, and children of African descent who were enslaved in America between the 1500s and 1865.
Together with a collaborative network of genealogists, cultural organizations, and community-based family historians, we will amplify centuries of family stories, connect researchers and data partners with people seeking answers to family history questions, and expand access to information about enslaved African Americans.
Where Were Your Ancestors during the Boston Tea Party?
In partnership with the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, we are pleased to introduce the Boston Tea Party Descendants Program: a lineage society for descendants of Boston Tea Party participants and those involved in colonial rebellion in Boston. The program has already aided in the discovery of unprecedented documentation from this historic event.
Courses On Demand: Educational experiences by our experts, at your convenience
Enjoy some of our most recent and popular courses on your schedule. Each course includes recorded lectures, handouts, activities, and more. Brush up on your research skills and explore topics across the field of genealogy with Courses On Demand!
Vita Brevis: A Resource for Family History
There's something new to discover every week on our blog Vita Brevis. From expert research advice to jaw-dropping family connections, celebrity genealogies, and more, you'll discover stories about families of every kind—and learn why family history matters to everybody.
Upcoming Events
Researching Scottish Ancestors
Today, there are an estimated 25 million Americans of Scottish descent. Tracing your Scottish heritage is rewarding, but not without its challenges. This four-session online seminar will provide you with key historical context, strategies, and resources setting you on the right path to trace your ancestry back several generations in Scotland.
The Brue Family Learning Center
Closing the Golden Doors: The Immigration Act of 1924
In this online lecture, Senior Genealogist Rhonda R. McClure will discuss the historical context of the Immigration Act of 1924, how the act shaped immigration records, and how the “closing of the golden doors” impacted the lives of your ancestors.
Natalie Dykstra with Chasing Beauty: The Life of Isabella Stewart Gardner
An extraordinary achievement of storytelling and scholarship, Chasing Beauty illuminates the fascinating ways the Gardner museum and its holdings can be seen as a kind of memoir, dazzling and haunting, created with objects instead of words. Don’t miss hearing from the award-winning author Natalie Dykstra about the complex and singular woman behind this fascinating and beloved Boston museum—a tale of beauty and loss, grit, and American self-invention.
American Inspiration
Boston DiCamillo Rendezvous
SOLD OUT | Join American Ancestors Curator of Special Collections and beloved raconteur Curt DiCamillo for a richly illustrated lecture and tea revealing the fanciful world of the English country house as written about by Jane Austen. This fun-filled and entertaining event will take place at the Chilton Club, where there will be a delicious tea and camaraderie with fellow enthusiasts.
Arts & Architecture
Canadian Research Tour
Join American Ancestors on its inaugural research tour to Canada’s capital! Whether you have ancestors from Ontario or across Canada, you’ll find key family history records not available online.
The Brue Family Learning Center
The Counterfeit Countess: The Jewish Woman Who Rescued Thousands of Poles During the Holocaust
Join the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center and American Inspiration for a program with professional historians and Holocaust experts Dr. Elizabeth White and Dr. Joanna Sliwa, discussing the astonishing story of Dr. Josephine Janina Mehlberg—a Jewish mathematician who saved thousands of lives in Nazi-occupied Poland by masquerading as a Polish aristocrat.
Presented by Dr. Elizabeth White and Dr. Joanna Sliwa.
Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Family Center