Catalog of Lectures

With the influx of immigrants to America in the 20th century, many immigrant aid societies were created to assist new arrivals with job placement, medical support, finding lost family, and generally get them acclimated to life in America. Some of these organizations include Traveler’s Aid Society, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), Charitable Irish Society of Boston, the Irish Emigrant Society of New York, St. Raphael’s Society, and many others. The records and case files kept by each society can offer a detailed look into the life of your ancestor. This session will provide a brief history of the immigrant aid society movement in America, how they operated, what information can be found in records, and how to locate them. 

Beyond the all-important passenger list, immigration to America resulted in the creation of several other records. This presentation will demonstrate how to utilize several records, including: passports (both those from the origin nation and those later applied for by naturalized US citizens), border crossings, C-Files (naturalization certificates, 1906-1956), AR-2 Files (Alien Registration Forms, 1940-1944), WWI Alien Registrations (1918, gathered by each state), Visa Files (1924-1944), A-Files (1944-1951), and the Arolsen Archive database, which documents European refugee arrivals following Nazi persecution. 

Learn about the important context for understanding your ancestors’ emigrant experience, why certain records were created, and how immigration policies changed throughout the 20th century. We will discuss who was coming to America, the reasons for emigrating, how world events affected immigration, the arrival process, and ports of entry, plus the introduction of the quota system, visas, and increased legislation. 

In the 20th century, an immigrant could be turned away from entering the United States for a variety of reasons: bad health, likely to become a public charge, political allegiance, etc. This session will review materials found in Record Group 85 (RG 85) that pertain to deportation, immigrant investigation, and Chinese Exclusion Act case files. We’ll look at what information is provided, how to access the materials, and how they may be helpful in piecing together your family history. 

The first Scandinavians arrived in North America nearly 1,000 years ago on Viking ships. Today, an estimated 11 million Americans have Scandinavian ancestry. This webinar will provide an introduction to essential records, repositories, and strategies for exploring your Scandinavian roots, focusing on Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. You’ll learn how to address challenges in Scandinavian research including language barriers, common names, patronymic surnames, name changes, and more. We will also discuss the historical context that transformed the region and influenced the lives of your ancestors.