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  • 7 Aug 2023 9:44 AM | Anonymous

    Canada's national archives is working to identify, digitize and transfer six million pages of federal Indian day school records to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR), the department head says.

    That kind of paper would fill multiple tractor trailers to the brim, said Leslie Weir, librarian and archivist of Canada, who hopes to finish the work in three years time.

    "We're quite confident that we can get the six million pages digitized within the time frame," she said.

    "We've already done more than 90,000 pages."

    Weir was responding to a July Senate report vowing to demand answers from groups that haven't released records connected to Canada's residential school system.

    Accusing governments and churches of "standing between Indigenous Peoples and the truth," the Senate standing committee on Indigenous Peoples published a list of records the NCTR says remain outstanding.

    On that list were day school records from Weir's department of Library and Archives Canada (LAC).

    "There was no surprise that we would be on that list," Weir said, adding that her organization welcomes the opportunity to testify.

  • 7 Aug 2023 8:20 AM | Anonymous

    Is this the wave of the future? Multiple libraries working together to combine the efforts of their genealogy departments to the benefit of library patrons?

    From an article by Will Sheeline published in the LI (Long Island) HERALD web site:

    Numerous public libraries on the North Shore have banded together to offer library patrons a wider selection of virtual programs, forming the North Shore Programming Consortium. 

    Consisting of the Oyster Bay-East Norwich, Gold Coast, Bayville, Glen Cove and Locust Valley libraries, the consortium works together to promote virtual learning programs across the various municipalities that they serve. The consortium originated in January of 2022 in the Glen Cove Public Library’s genealogy research programs.

    Lydia Wen, an archivist and librarian at the Glen Cove Public Library, explained that she initially began reaching out to the other libraries to consider forming the Genealogy Collective, which served the dual purpose of promoting library programs during the pandemic while also spreading the word across a wider audience.

    “We formed the Genealogy Collective so that the programming will be online and we’ll be doing it once a month,” Wen said. “So now we could really go out and offer topics of so many different interests.”

    Following the success of the Genealogy Collective, the directors and adult program organizers of the various libraries came together to expand their cooperation, forming the consortium. The five libraries agreed to have each choose and organize three virtual presentations on a variety of subjects.

    Officially launching in June, the consortium has been a huge success, according to organizers. Clare Trollo, adult program coordinator at the Gold Coast Public Library, said that through their mutual coordination the libraries have been able to field a much wider range of presentations on a more consistent basis.

    “It’s been fantastic, it really has,” Trollo said. “It just gives us the opportunity to bring more of a variety of programs to all of our patrons in a real cost-effective way for the libraries.”

    Thanks to the teamwork between the libraries, all have seen attendance for these presentations skyrocket, some more than doubling from an average of 15 attendees to as many as 50. The response from the public has also been positive.

    You can read more at: https://liherald.com/stories/five-north-shore-libraries-are-working-together-for-their-patrons,187502.

  • 7 Aug 2023 7:36 AM | Anonymous

    Researchers have connected the DNA from enslaved individuals buried in a Maryland village to nearly 42,000 present-day descendants.

    In 1979, workers expanding a Maryland highway came across a forgotten cemetery containing the bodies of enslaved people from the 1800s. They lived in what is known as Catoctin Furnace, a former ironworking village. About 30 bodies were exhumed and sent to the Smithsonian Institution for safekeeping. Now a partnership between the Smithsonian, Harvard University, a local historical society and the biotech company 23andMe is using the DNA from those bodies to connect them to possible relatives in the present day. Eadaoin Harney is a population geneticist at 23andMe.

    You can read more at: https://tinyurl.com/8veuhnmt.

  • 4 Aug 2023 4:41 PM | Anonymous

    The following is a Plus Edition article written by and copyright by Dick Eastman. 

    The rampant spread of disease was common in the days before penicillin and other "wonder drugs" of the twentieth century. Our ancestors lived in fear of epidemics, and many of them died as the result of simple diseases that could be cured today with an injection or a prescription.

    If you ever wondered why a large number of your ancestors disappeared during a certain period in history, you may want to investigate the possibility of an epidemic. Many cases of people disappearing from records can be traced to dying during an epidemic or moving away from the affected area.

    Some of the epidemic statistics are staggering. For instance, the influenza epidemic of 1918 and 1919 killed more people than did World War I. Any major outbreak of disease was accelerated by a total absence of sanitary procedures and lack of knowledge. In Europe during the Middle Ages, the homes of the citizens often had roofs and walls made of straw, floors of dirt, and dwellings where animals were kept inside. The city streets, if that's what you could call them, often were barely wide enough for a single cart to pass, and they were perpetually covered with mud, garbage, and excrement. For lack of heated water, people rarely bathed, and fleas were commonplace. It is a wonder that anyone survived under these conditions!

    North America had fewer problems in the early days of European settlement than their relatives across the Atlantic. In the seventeenth century, the relative isolation of many colonies tended to limit the impact of epidemics. One study of seventeenth-century colonists in Massachusetts shows an extraordinarily healthy population as measured by statistics on average length of life, mortality and morbidity rates, and infant mortality. Male residents of the first settlements lived into their seventies and eighties while their English counterparts were dying in their mid-thirties. Similarly, colonial women in the Massachusetts Bay Colony who escaped death during childbirth also lived long lives. At the same time, early settlements in warmer areas had more difficulties with epidemics. The first generations of settlers in the Virginia colonies were plagued by malaria, yellow fever, and other epidemics. Yet New England had very few problems with the same diseases.

    Smallpox, an acute viral disease that disfigures its victims, was perhaps the most fearsome illness of the colonial period. Introduced to the Americas by European colonists, the disease had an especially devastating effect on Native Americans who, because of their lack of contact with the virus, had virtually no immunity to it. Native American populations throughout the colonies were all but wiped out.

    By the end of the eighteenth century, North America was becoming increasingly urbanized, and the lack of sanitation amongst the population made epidemics a much greater threat. Epidemic disease began to sweep through the nation along well-established trade routes. By the middle of the nineteenth century, the crowded and increasingly poor urban centers experienced death rates that were as high as those in Europe. Cholera, dysentery, tuberculosis, and other waterborne and airborne infectious conditions became endemic in such cities as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and New Orleans.

    Napoleon lost thousands of his men to typhus in Russia - as did the Russians who caught it from the enemy. Many historians believe that Napoleon would have won were it not for the might of his opponents, "General Winter, General Famine, and General Typhus."

    Typhoid raged on in colonial New York and Massachusetts. It reappeared for the last time in epidemic form in America in the early 1900s, compliments of the celebrated Typhoid Mary. Mary Maflon was a cook for the moneyed set of New York State; her specialty was homemade ice cream. Officially, she infected 53 people - with three deaths - before she was tracked down. Unofficially, she is blamed for some 1,400 cases that occurred in 1903 in Ithaca, where she worked for several families. Never sick herself, it took a lot of persuasion by authorities to convince her that she was a carrier of the disease. Health authorities quarantined her once, let her go, and then quarantined her for the rest of her life when another outbreak occurred.

    The remainder of this article is reserved for Plus Edition subscribers only. If you have a Plus Edition subscription, you may read the full article at: https://eogn.com/(*)-Plus-Edition-News-Articles/13236776.

    If you are not yet a Plus Edition subscriber, you can learn more about such subscriptions and even upgrade to a Plus Edition subscription immediately at https://eogn.com/page-18077

  • 4 Aug 2023 4:35 PM | Anonymous

    The stories of Roma survivors from the Czech and Slovak Republics about their experience during World War II are now available on Svedectvi Romu, an online database launched today, symbolically, on International Roma Holocaust Memorial Day, the Czech Academy of Sciences has announced.

    The website will eventually contain around 250 testimonies, with both Czech and English versions of the database.

    “The experience of Roma and Sinti during World War II is still a neglected topic, even though the Roma communities still feel the consequences of the wartime genocide and persecution today,” said historian Katerina Capkova, head of the steering committee of the Prague Forum for Roma History. “Moreover, even in the few publications about the Roma and Sinti Holocaust, the perspective taken from documents written during the war by the state administration and police forces often prevails.” 

    Capkova said she hoped the website would help spread awareness of the genocide of the Roma and Sinti during the Holocaust. That is why the website is being published before the database is complete, as the researchers have currently processed roughly half of the testimonies.

    You can read more at: https://tinyurl.com/56kb7929.

  • 4 Aug 2023 2:57 PM | Anonymous

    Are you fed up with the recent record-setting heat in much of the country? Well, I have some good news (or maybe it is bad news). The 2024 Farmers’ Almanac's message is clear: prepare for cold in the northeastern United States.

    As a child growing up in Maine (in the extreme northeastern corner of the country), my family always purchased the new Farmer's Almanac as soon as it appeared on store shelves every year. All family members then pored over it's winter predictions and we usually believed them to be true. (Now that I am an adult, I'm not so sure about the accuracy of those predictions.)

    The 2024 Farmers' Almanac is now appearing on store shelves so it's time to pore over the wintertime predictions.

    And their message to New Englanders is clear: prepare for a cold one.

    According to the 2024 Farmers’ Almanac, “The BRRR is back!” after an unseasonably warm winter this year, the 200-year-old Maine-based periodical wrote in its winter 2024 extended forecast, published Tuesday.

    The almanac predicted blizzard conditions in northern New England as early as December 2023.

    “For those of you living along the I-95 corridor from Washington to Boston who saw a lack of wintry precipitation last winter,” the almanac announced, “you should experience quite the opposite, with lots of rain/sleet and snowstorms to contend with.”

    The almanac also said the second week of February will bring “an East Coast storm affecting the Northeast and New England states,” marked by “snowfall, cold rain and then frigid temperatures.”

    There will be another East Coast storm in early March, the periodical reported, followed by one last snowfall for New England’s higher elevations in late April. 

    Farmers’ Almanac reports using a “mathematical and astronomical formula” — tweaked only slightly since its development in 1818 by the periodical’s first editor — to make its signature long-range weather predictions. 

    But the formula itself is a bit of a mystery. We know the almanac considers indicators like sunspot activity, the planets’ positions and the moon’s effect on tides to develop its forecasts. However, “the only person who knows the exact formula is the Farmers’ Almanac weather prognosticator who goes by the pseudonym of Caleb Weatherbee,” according to the almanac’s website.

    “To protect this proprietary formula, the editors of the Farmers’ Almanac prefer to keep both Caleb’s true identity and the formula a closely guarded brand secret,” the site reads.

    I'm not too worried about this winter's forecast. While I was born and raised in northern Maine, I now live in Florida. I'm not too worried about “snowfall, cold rain, and then frigid temperatures.”

    How about you?

  • 4 Aug 2023 8:14 AM | Anonymous

    The following is a press release issued by the Asian American Foundation:

    SAN FRANCISCO, July 31, 2023 -- The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), with support from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation through the Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity, today announced the launch of The AAPI Nonprofit Database. This interactive database addresses the historical inequity of funding directed towards the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community by providing a platform where anyone looking to donate, volunteer, or get involved can more easily locate and support AAPI nonprofit organizations across the country.

    With less than 0.2% of philanthropic giving going to AAPI nonprofits and causes, the community remains underfunded and under-resourced. TAAF is working to help fill this critical gap, and the database is a necessary first step to meeting the need. The database will feature nonprofits of all sizes, giving visibility and driving donations to grassroots organizations who have been working tirelessly to support underrepresented AAPI communities throughout the country.

    "In the face of continued Anti-Asian hate and rhetoric, it is now more important than ever to invest in resources to support the diverse needs of AAPI communities," said Norman Chen, CEO of TAAF. "We know people want to support AAPI causes, especially following the horrific events impacting our community, but they may not always know where to begin or which organizations are aligned with their interests. Impactaapi.org will make AAPI nonprofits and causes accessible through one interactive tool to remove the barriers to entry and help combat the chronic underfunding and under-resourcing that AAPI organizations have faced."

    At launch, the database will feature over 600 nonprofit organizations focused on serving AAPI communities. The AAPI Nonprofit Database will allow users to filter by location, focus area, population served, budget size or years in service, among others. Users will have the opportunity to make donations directly to the nonprofit of their choice or learn how to get more involved. If users need help to get started, a feature will allow visitors to take a short quiz, matching them to a curated list of organizations based on their interests.

    Nonprofits have the opportunity to opt-in, get listed, and update their profile pages, including linking directly to their donation pages or website. Organizations whose data has been updated in the past year will have "verified" status indicating current data.

    "Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have been long-time supporters of the AAPI community and are thrilled to support The Asian American Foundation in launching The AAPI Nonprofit Database," said Kimberly McGee, Senior Manager for the Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity. "As a founding AAPI Giving Challenge supporter, we are focused on driving access and resources to advance equity in the AAPI nonprofit community. The AAPI Nonprofit Database brings us closer to that goal by putting power into the hands of the broader public, whether by driving donations or getting more involved."

    The AAPI Giving Challenge was launched in May 2021 with over 130 corporations, foundations, and individual donors committed $1.1 billion in funding and in-kind resources directly to AAPI communities, organizations, and relevant causes over five years. The AAPI Nonprofit Database highlights the commitment of corporate partners to work with the AAPI community to drive towards solutions together.

    TAAF acknowledges Asian Pacific Fund and AAPI Data for their collaboration in providing guidance on the creation of this database.

    The AAPI Nonprofit Database can be found at https://impactaapi.org. Nonprofit organizations interested in being listed can submit a request here.

    ABOUT THE ASIAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION (TAAF)

    The Asian American Foundation serves the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in its pursuit of belonging and prosperity that is free from discrimination, slander, and violence. Founded in 2021 in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and address the long standing underinvestment in AAPI communities, TAAF funds best in class organizations working to mobilize against hate and violence, educate communities, and reclaim our narratives through our core pillars of Anti-hate, Education, Narrative Change, and Resources & Representation. Through our grants, high-impact initiatives and events, we're creating a permanent and irrevocable sense of belonging for millions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. For additional information about TAAF, please visit www.taaf.org.

  • 4 Aug 2023 8:01 AM | Anonymous

    The following is an excerpt from the dncr.nc.gov web site:

    The State Library and the State Archives have long traditions of helping North Carolinians research their past.

    Whether you're just getting started putting together your family tree or are a family history research pro with years of experience, chances are the State Library has a resource guide, database, digital collection, or other material that can help you with your genealogy project. Though the library is the hub of our information for family history research, we've aggregated other resources from across our divisions, museums, historic sites and other programs below that may help you in your search.

    Still have questions? The State Library may be able to help. After checking out their genealogy FAQs, you can contact the library's genealogy experts through the library's website. Though our librarians can't do your research for you, they may be able to point you in the right direction.

    You can read more at: https://www.dncr.nc.gov/resources/family-history-genealogy.

  • 3 Aug 2023 9:50 PM | Anonymous

    In the quaint Northumberland fishing town of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, a remarkable project has been unfolding over the past 11 years. Spearheaded by former MP Hilton Dawson, the community has created a massive family tree documenting “everyone who has ever lived here.”

    The digital tree, hosted by MyHeritage, traces the lineage of almost 39,000 people, dating back to around the year 1200. The tree contains much more than just names: it includes around 9,000 photos and historical records as well as detailed biographies.

    This past weekend, the tree was projected on the walls of the town’s community center as part of a five-day summer festival, stirring a great deal of interest. People came from as far as 100 miles away to learn about the history of this small town and discover their own heritage in the extensive family tree.

    It all started when Hilton Dawson, 69, inherited the family tree his mother had started. Hilton had grown up in Newbiggin, but like many members of the younger generation, moved away after graduating school. “I’ve always considered that I had an idyllic childhood in Newbiggin, but by the end of childhood I was keenly determined to leave the place behind,” he says.

    In 2012, he gave a talk in Newbiggin about his research, expecting hardly anyone to turn up — and was shocked when dozens of people turned out to hear him speak.

    “There were lots of women who came with family bibles and beautiful records and photos, and a few men, some of whom had stuff scribbled on the back of a cigarette packet. It was extraordinary,” Hilton told The Times in a recent article about the project. “They had a visceral need to know where they came from and who they were related to. We started there and then, saying we would make a record of everybody who had ever lived in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.”

    It would take many, many volumes to record a family tree of this magnitude on paper — but on MyHeritage, the community was able to easily add and document family relationships and connections as well as details about individuals, stories, and various media. A testament to the power of community collaboration, the project has revealed complex interconnections between families, painting a vivid picture of a close-knit community that has weathered centuries of change together.

    You can read more in an article in the MyHeritage Blog at: https://blog.myheritage.com/2023/08/this-old-fishing-town-built-a-massive-family-tree-dating-back-800-years-on-myheritage/.

  • 3 Aug 2023 9:32 PM | Anonymous

    The following is a press release issued by American Ancestors:

    American Ancestors® and Collaborators Announce the Launch of "10 Million Names," a Project to Honor the Family Histories of African Americans Whose Ancestors Lived Under Slavery, with a Permanent, Free, Publicly Accessible Database at 10MillionNames.org

    ABC News to Serve as Exclusive Media Partner of Historic 10 Million Names Project

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Aug. 3, 2023-- American Ancestors, a national center for family history, is partnering with family historians, leading African American scholars, and cultural institutions to recover the names of the 10 million people of African descent who were enslaved between the 1500s and 1865 in the territory that is now the United States of America. The project—10 Million Names—will centralize genealogical and historical information about enslaved people of African descent and their families on a free website.

    ABC News will serve as the exclusive media partner of 10 Million Names. The year-long, network-wide initiative will feature the findings, research, and work of a collaborative network of genealogists, cultural organizations, and community-based family historians through impactful and informative storytelling and reporting across ABC News programs and platforms.

    The project advisory board includes Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Harvard scholar and host of the popular PBS Series Finding Your Roots, which often reveals surprising information to celebrity guests about their ancestors. Other members of the 10 Million Names Advisory Board are Richard Cellini, founder of the Georgetown Memory Project and a Research Fellow at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute, Gwill York, Advisory Board chair, entrepreneur, prominent business leader, and civic volunteer for more than thirty years, and Paula Williams Madison, author of Finding Samuel Lowe: China, Jamaica, Harlem, and Chairman and CEO of Madison Media Management LLC and 88 Madison Media Works Inc

    Dr. Gates and others associated with the project have described it as having the potential to connect millions of people with American history through genealogy in ways never possible before.

    "For the first time ever, we have the means to accomplish a project of this importance and magnitude," said Cellini, the founding director of the 10 Million Names project. "The institutional will and the technology exist. We have a collective obligation as a nation to tell African American family stories."

    Beginning in 2018, American Ancestors worked with Cellini to create a free, searchable public portal at GU272.AmericanAncestors.org that presented the family histories of more than 300 men, women, and children sold by the Jesuit priests of Georgetown University (then known as Georgetown College) in 1838 to Louisiana sugar plantations. When he first discovered the sale, Cellini, a Georgetown alumnus, created an independent non-profit dedicated to finding the people who were sold, and worked with American Ancestors to publish the results.

    You can read more at: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/project-recover-names-10-million-200300433.html. 

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