Relative Race Season 17 Premiers Sunday, September 13, 2026
If you have been following my blog or podcast for anytime at all, then you know how much I love the TV show Relative Race. Relative Race is a genetic DNA reality show. It consists of four teams that are racing across America in search for their relatives that they have never met before. They have all... Continue Reading →
When Family History Becomes a Gift During Times of Grief
Most people think of family history as a way to preserve the past. We spend years researching our ancestors, scanning old photographs, organizing documents, and recording family stories so future generations will know where they came from. But over the years, I've discovered that family history can also become an unexpected gift during one of... Continue Reading →
Wordless Wednesday – Family Vacation Memories Made
Mays Cummings 2026 Family Vacation
Including Genealogy Research in Your Summer Fun
When I think of summer, I think of vacations, long weekends, road trips, and day trips. It's during the summer months that many people are planning trips to beaches, national parks, and family reunions. Family historians have a unique opportunity to add a little genealogy to their travel plans. Whether you're taking a cross-country vacation,... Continue Reading →
Celebrating America 250
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, many families will gather to celebrate Independence Day with reflection, gratitude, and tradition. It is a milestone that invites us to look back at the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and consider how far the nation has come since that moment. For family historians,... Continue Reading →
June is NPE Awareness Month
June is NPE (Non-Paternal Event) Awareness Month, a time dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding of unexpected parentage discoveries. In genealogy, an NPE generally refers to a situation where a person's expected biological parent is not their biological parent. Today, the term is often used more broadly to include unexpected discoveries involving parentage, adoption, donor... Continue Reading →
Wordless Wednesday – When Your Father is Also Your Coach
Wayman Mays with his son, Russell; William Cummings with his son Phillip; and Russell Mays with his son Allen
Our Family Home: Over 80 Years of Memories – Part 2
As I continue sorting through more than 80 years of memories collected inside our family home, I kept discovering treasures that tell not only my family’s story, but the story of our community as well. One of those treasures is a large 1963 class photograph from W.F. Branch High School, the historic Black school that... Continue Reading →
Continuing My Family Digital Archive – Video
Recently, I spent time at the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies Memory Lab digitizing family scrapbooks, baby books, and fragile photographs using their overhead scanner. Many of these items are decades old and too delicate for a traditional scanner, so this process allowed me to carefully preserve these family treasures while creating digital copies for... Continue Reading →
Wordless Wednesday – Our Family’s Latest High School Graduate
My nephew, Patrick E. Mays, Catholic High School Class of 2026
Our Interview with GenFriends Genealogy Chat
This week, my husband and I had the wonderful opportunity to be featured guests on Carolina Girl Genealogy podcast. It was such an enjoyable with conversation with Cheri Hudson Passey and her panel of GenFriends. During the interview, we talked about the passion behind our podcast, the importance of preserving family stories, and how genealogy... Continue Reading →