Explore the evolving struggle for women’s rights in America as women challenged traditional expectations and sought a greater voice in society. From the early nineteenth-century reform movements to the growing campaign for women’s suffrage, this presentation examines how women organized, advocated for change, and pushed the boundaries of civic participation. Discover how involvement in abolition, temperance, education, and other social reform efforts helped women develop the leadership skills, networks, and determination needed to demand greater equality. Through the stories of influential reformers and everyday women, we’ll examine the challenges they faced, the progress they achieved, and the lasting impact of their efforts on American society.

Discover the remarkable story of the American women’s suffrage movement through five historical records that reveal the long and often difficult road to the ballot box. From eighteenth-century poll books and antislavery petitions to suffrage cookbooks, prison protests, and voter registrations, this presentation explores how generations of women organized, challenged societal expectations, and fought for political representation. Along the way, we’ll examine the reform movements, influential leaders, grassroots campaigns, and opposition that shaped the struggle for voting rights. Beyond the familiar names and milestones, discover how ordinary women and their communities helped change the course of American history. Learn how newspapers, petitions, organizational records, and other historical sources can help genealogists uncover their ancestors’ connections to the movement and better understand the world in which they lived.

From the Revolutionary War through World War II, women played vital roles in America’s military conflicts, often making contributions that have been overlooked in traditional historical accounts. This presentation explores the changing roles of women during wartime, highlighting their service on the home front, near the battlefield, and beyond. Discover the stories of women who served as nurses, spies, fundraisers, factory workers, and military personnel, often challenging the social expectations of their time. Through historical examples and social context, we’ll examine how each conflict created new opportunities, responsibilities, and challenges for women. Along the way, we’ll uncover stories of courage, sacrifice, and determination that reveal how women helped shape America’s wartime history and the generations that followed.

Discover the wealth of genealogical resources preserved in archives throughout Indiana, from major state institutions to local historical societies and university special collections. This presentation will introduce researchers to a variety of repositories across the Hoosier State, highlighting the records, manuscripts, photographs, and unique collections that can help uncover family stories. Learn what types of materials are available, where to find them, and how these often-overlooked resources can provide valuable clues about your ancestors’ lives. Whether you’re researching Indiana roots or exploring new avenues for historical research, this session will help you discover the archival treasures waiting to be explored.

Explore the rise of the temperance movement in nineteenth-century America and its evolution into the nationwide campaign that ultimately led to Prohibition. Discover the individuals, organizations, and reform efforts that shaped the movement, from grassroots activism and religious organizations to the growing influence of women in social and political reform. This presentation examines how temperance campaigns influenced families, communities, and American society while highlighting the valuable historical records these efforts left behind. Learn how membership records, newspapers, organizational publications, and other sources can help genealogists uncover their ancestors’ involvement in the movement and reveal stories of activism, personal convictions, and community life that might otherwise remain untold.

From cholera and smallpox to tuberculosis and influenza, disease profoundly influenced the lives of our ancestors and the communities they called home. Discover how historical illnesses and epidemics shaped families across generations, and learn how death records, obituaries, and other genealogical sources can reveal the circumstances surrounding an ancestor’s death. Along the way, uncover the challenges, losses, and stories of resilience that bring your family history to life.

What was it really like to walk beside a wagon from Missouri to Oregon or California? This presentation explores the daily routines, challenges, and small comforts of life on the trail. From early morning camp chores and cooking over open fires to navigating rough terrain and facing unpredictable weather, you’ll get a glimpse into the rhythm of everyday life for thousands of pioneers who made the journey west.

Explore the diverse routes – from water travel on rivers to treacherous overland passages – that led settlers to build new lives in the Old Northwest Territory.
This presentation will show how early settlers navigated treacherous paths, utilizing rivers, trails, and developing infrastructure to establish new homes. Attendees will learn about the use of major waterways like the Ohio River, the overland National Road, and the role of emerging railroads in the settlement of the Old Northwest Territory.

The 1862 Homestead Act beckoned thousands of women to the American frontier, presenting an unparalleled opportunity for land ownership and self-determination. This transformative legislation opened millions of acres across 30 states, allowing single women, widows, divorcees, and even those deserted by their husbands, to claim their own piece of the American dream.
The stories of these trailblazing women are often overshadowed by the more familiar tales of their male counterparts. However, a wealth of information lies hidden within the often-overlooked records created during the Homestead Act era.
Join us as we delve into those records to reveal the unwavering determination and resilience of these pioneering women.

Go beyond paid sites and learn about the tools and resources available to research your family history for free.

Unlock the secrets of your past without breaking the bank! In this presentation, attendees will discover a treasure trove of free resources for family historians.

The availability of digitized newspapers continues to grow each day and now researchers can find thousands of newspapers on sites outside of websites like Newspapers.com. This presentation will explore the numerous sites and archives that make newspapers easily accessible for little to no cost.

This presentation will showcase sites that make newspapers available to researchers for free or very little cost, such as Advantage Archives and Chronicling America, as well as the resources for newspaper research available at local FamilySearch Centers and archives. Attendees will walk away armed with a wide array of resources to begin tracing their family history in newspapers.

Following the completion of the transcontinental railroad, an army of itinerant laborers descended upon America, supplying the manpower and muscle that helped fuel our country’s industrial growth. Your ancestor may have been one of these men. This presentation will cover the history of hobos and records that you can use to tell their stories.

Hobos, tramps, and vagabonds, collectively known as itinerant workers, constituted a population of close to 100,000 people. They comprised a grouping of individuals who traveled and worked across the Midwest, Great Plains, and Mountain West between the years 1870 and 1940. This presentation will introduce the audience to the history of this subculture using documents like tramp ledgers, letters, and diaries and assist them in locating the hobos in their families and telling their stories.

After America entered World War I in 1917, the Council of National Defense ordered the establishment of women’s councils as a domestic defense, where they registered over 4,000,000 women to provide services during the war. The data compiled represent the largest forgotten census of American women ever conducted.

This presentation will introduce attendees to the history of the Woman’s Committee of the Council of National Defense and the registration cards they created. It will cover where to find these records and how to use them in telling the stories of the women in their family history.

The Midwest encompasses eleven states and nearly seventy million people with an innumerable amount of archives. From federal, state, local, and university archives the large number of places to find records can be overwhelming to the family historian. This session will explore the vast number of archives found within the Midwest while highlighting select records found within these archives.

An introduction to investigating your family history. In this presentation, you will learn about major record groups that genealogists use such as census, land, probate, court, and more. It will cover the difference between original and derivative records and guide you through the Genealogical Proof Standard and two major online databases – FamilySearch and Ancestry. Whether you are new to family history research or just need a refresher on best research practices this is the presentation for you.

Social media can help broaden our understanding of genealogy and our ancestors. In this presentation you will learn how to harness the power of social media to further your research and increase your genealogy knowledge.

As the only state to form by separating from a Confederate state, West Virginia has a rich and vibrant history with stories and records from people of bygone eras up to the present. During the session, we will explore the wide array of federal, state, and regional archives that hold the records that tell the story of West Virginia and its people.

During this presentation, we will explore why it can be difficult to locate the women in our trees. The challenge and frustration of tracing female ancestors is one that every researcher will experience at one time or another. However, there are some tried and true techniques that will help you overcome these challenges. This presentation will focus on why it is sometimes difficult to locate the women in our trees and the records and techniques that can help locate these elusive women. 

Land records are one of the major record groups used by genealogists when performing US research due to their extensive coverage, availability, and valuable information. During this presentation, you will learn why land records are a valuable source for locating family in a particular place and time. Many free adult males living in the US before the mid-1800s owned land. Therefore, land records are a valuable source for locating a family in a particular time and place. Land records usually pre-date vital records and may pre-date census and church records in some areas.

The Homestead Act of 1862 opened millions of acres of land for settlement across 30 states. Interested individuals needed to meet certain criteria before the land could gain title to this land. The records created from this process are often overlooked by family historians. This session will help you understand the wealth of knowledge that can be found in these valuable records.