***RootsTech is the world’s largest genealogy and family history conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is a four day conference hosted by Family Search. RootsTech 2020 was held February 27 – March 2, 2019.***

We arrived in Salt Lake City last night.  I would like to say we had an easy time checking in, getting dinner and winding down after our flight, but that wasn’t the case.  I ended up staying up way later than I wanted which led us to have a slow start this morning.  I had plans of getting to the Salt Palace Convention Center at 8am, but we didn’t arrive until just before 9am.  I have been reading blog posts about RootsTech for a year now, and I read about how long all of the registration lines were last year.  But I was pleasantly surprised that we didn’t have to stand in line at all.  This year was the first year that RootsTech gave you the option to have your badge mailed to you.  So all we had to do was pick up our registration bag and lanyard when we walked in the convention center.  It took less than five minutes, then we were off to our first session.

I also got the chance to hang out with one of my blog subscribers/new genealogy friend.  I follow her blog, Uncovering Roots, Extending Branches, as well.  She has some Arkansas roots, so we have been in contact for a couple of years through email and our blogs.  She noticed me sitting in one of the sessions, and she came right up to me, gave me a hug, and sat down.  We attended some of the same sessions and hung out in the expo hall throughout the week.

RootsTech provided boxed lunches today, so we didn’t have to leave the convention center to get something to eat.  I had back to back sessions today, so it was nice to get to sit down for an hour and eat.  The general session was at 430pm today.  The Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints announced a donation of 2 million dollars to the International African American History Museum.  The museum’s CEO and president Michael B. Moore and Martin Luther King III spoke about the importance of the museum for our children and the future of our country.

The expo hall opened at 6pm.  I was able to go by the University of Arkansas History Department booth, the Sons and Daughters of the US Middle Passage booth, and the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society booth.  The expo hall was only open for two hours tonight, so I wanted to make sure I was able to get to those three booths first.  The expo hall was huge so for the last 45 minutes or so I just walked around and took it all in.

It was a really long day of learning, fun, and excitement.  I had high expectations for RootsTech.  I must admit that my expectations were more than met.  I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.  But first I have to look at tomorrow’s schedule and finalize the sessions I want to attend and get a good night’s sleep for another genealogy packed day at RootsTech.

The sessions I attended today:

• 930am – Finder Her:  Our Female Ancestor presented by Melissa Tennant
• 11am – Hear Them Sing:  Social History and Family Narrative presented by Rebecca Whitman Koford
• 130pm – Writing Fascinating Family History One Story at a Time presented by Crista Cowan and Sue Cowan
• 3pm – Slave Traders, Speculators, and the Domestic Slave Trade presented by Kenyatta Berry

To read my RootsTech Day 2 recap click HERE

To read my RootsTech Day 3 recap click HERE

To read my RootsTech Day 4 recap click HERE