Wordless Wednesday – RootsTech 2026
RootsTech 2026 – Day 2 Recap
I had an 8am session again today, so I was up and out early this morning. When I walked out of the hotel, I saw it was snowing. It was cloudy, windy, and cold with light fluffy snow falling. It has snowed at least one day every year we have been to Salt Lake City... Continue Reading →
RootsTech 2026 – Day 1 Recap
We have been preparing and talking about RootsTech 2026 for a year now, and somehow it still snuck up on me. Ready or not it was time to get going. We had a good travel day with no delays. That's always a great way to start any trip. We arrived in Salt Lake City on... Continue Reading →
Women’s History Month: Honoring the Women in Our Own Family Trees
Women’s History Month often brings stories of famous women who changed the world; Daisy Bates, Dorothy I. Height, Harriet Tubman, and Phyllis Wheatley whose names appear in textbooks. While those stories are important, there is another group of women whose histories deserve just as much attention: the women in our own families. The women in... Continue Reading →
Celebrating Black History Month – Black Excellence in My Family – Trisha Mays-Cummings
As I celebrate Black History Month and the Black excellence found throughout my family, it feels important to pause and include someone I often overlook in these stories: Trisha Mays-Cummings. That's right this blog post is all about the researcher. For more than a decade, I have been researching my family’s history and their communities,... Continue Reading →
RootsTech 2026 Expo Hall
One of my favorite parts of attending RootsTech is time spent in the Expo Hall. If classes are where you learn, the Expo Hall is where you discover. The Expo Hall brings together genealogy companies, archives, societies, publishers, DNA testing companies, and innovators all in one place. It’s a space filled with conversation, curiosity, and... Continue Reading →
Celebrating Black History Month – Black Excellence in My Family: Rev. Robert D. Hatchett
As part of my Black History Month series, Black Excellence in My Family, I’m honoring the everyday excellence found in my own family history. My 3× great-grandfather, Rev. Robert Hatchett, was Black excellence under circumstances that were designed to deny him. Though he was enslaved, he served as a Baptist minister, performing marriages and leading... Continue Reading →
Celebrating Black History Month – Black Excellence in My Family: Gladys Denson Mays
February is the shortest month of the year and often the coldest, but it has always been my favorite. It’s the month we celebrate Black History Month and recognize Black excellence. Through my family history research, I’ve learned that Black excellence doesn’t require wealth, fame, or celebrity. It shows up in everyday choices—especially the courage... Continue Reading →
Start Planning Your RootsTech 2026 Experience Now – Class Schedule and Speakers Now Available
RootsTech 2026 will be here before you know it. The RootsTech 2026 class schedule is now available online at rootstech.org. You can also download the official RootsTech app on your smart phone for easy access. Whether you’re just starting your genealogy journey or you’re a seasoned professional, there’s something for everyone at this year’s conference.... Continue Reading →
RootsTech 2026 Keynote Speakers
Each year, the keynote speakers help ground the conference in something deeper than records and research techniques. They remind us that family history is about people, lived experiences, and the stories that connect us across generations. Reminding us why we do this genealogy work. This year is no different with a lineup of keynote speakers... Continue Reading →
Journey Through the Generations 