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 →
Happy National DNA Day!!!!
Every year on April 25, we celebrate National DNA Day, commemorating the completion of the Human Genome Project and the incredible advancements in genetic science. For family historians and genealogists, DNA is more than just science. it is also a powerful tool for discovery. DNA testing has transformed the way we research our family histories.... Continue Reading →
My Interview with Black Ancestries Owner, Andre Kearns
One of the things I love most about RootsTech is the opportunity to connect in person with other genealogists I’ve come to know through social media. There’s something special about finally meeting, having real conversations, and sharing space with people whose work has inspired you from a distance. While attending the conference, I had the... Continue Reading →
RootsTech 2026 – Day 3 Recap
I didn't have any sessions planned for this morning. So I slept in and arrived at the Salt Palace around 930am. I hung out in the expo hall this morning, walking around and talking with vendors. I also ate early today to miss the long lines. My first session wasn't until 130 today, so I... Continue Reading →