AfriGeneas at the NGS 2011 Family History Conference

This video clip was made 13 May 2011 at the NGS 2011 Family History Conference. Bernice Bennett talks about "Tracking the Homestead Records of a Group of American African Americans in Livingston Parish, Louisiana".

Thank you Bernice for sharing!

Courtesy the AfriGeneas channel on YouTube.

AfriGeneas at the NGS 2011 Family History Conference

Monetizing your Genealogy Expertise with a Blog/Website

Friday Room F319 Club North 9:30am - 11am

Do you have a blog or website or want to create one?

Mark Olsen of FamilyLink.com will be teaching you how to make money using your specific Genealogy Expertise.

If you have unique knowledge pertaining to a particular topic/niche such as particualar area, record type,

Language, Church, History, Surname or your own family stories this class is for you.

If you have a blog or website you can make money either as your main income or on the side.  Have you heard of affiliate marketing but don't know where to start?In this question and answer session Mark will show you what he has learned as an affiliate, affiliate manager and professional online marketer.

From a few extra dollars a month to thousands of dollars each month you can monetize your expertise.

Monetizing your Genealogy Expertise with a Blog/Website

Day 4: A Day in Pictures

Color Guard

Marguerite Bishop

Opening Session Entryway

Bagpipes

Buzzy Jackson - Opening Session

Volunteers. We love you!

Opening Session

Connie Trossbach - Day 1 Drawing Winner with Illyce Mac Donald, NGS Membership Director

Photos coutesy Trish Hackett Nicola, CG

Day 4: A Day in Pictures

Trolley Schedule

The Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and Absolutely Charleston have kindly provided trolley services that will from the convention hotels to the convention center. Hours of operation are as listed below.

Wednesday, 11 May   6:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m.
Thursday, 12 May       7:00 a.m.–10:30 p.m.
Friday, 13 May           7:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
Saturday, 14 May       7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.

Each trolley has a capacity of 34 and trip time is anticipated to take between 15-25 minutes depending on traffic and the number of people looking to ride the trolley. Please factor in travel time to the convention center when planning your day.

Trolley Schedule

Day 3: Exhibits Set-up, Attendee Check-In and On-Site Registration Opens

5:00 a.m. wake up call dragged me out of bed and then I had a nice chat with my mom in Germany. My day was off to a wonderful start. I reviewed my schedule for the day over a cup of steaming hot coffee in my room and made a mental note.... need caffeine- a long and exciting day ahead!

7:00 a.m. Registration for the Research Trip to the South Carolina Archives begins in the lobby of the Embassy Suites. Delivered registration materials ... check!
7:45 a.m. Attendees depart for Librarians' Day.
8:00 a.m. Attendee Check-In begins for the BCG Education Fund Workshop in Meeting Room 10-13.
8:15 a.m. Check in with Valley Expo on Exhibit Hall setup. Boy..... they are super efficient and I have enjoyed working with them over the years. Thank you Cynthia Kutz!
10:00 a.m. Exhibitor Registration begins and the exhibit hall begins to take form.
11:00 a.m. Attendee check-in and on-site registration setup complete.
12:00 noon Attendee check-in and on-site registration begins. Registration was smooth. We had 27 on-site registrations today and our attendee check-in volunteers did a wonderful job ... An absolute success....
3:30 p.m. Lunch at the Embassy Suites .... Another meal recommendation Prime Rib Bites. An appetizer selection on the menu featuring prime rib, mashed potatoes, asparagus, and horse radish sauce.... I am sure I will repeat this order before the end of the week.
5:00 p.m. Exhibit setup is complete and we have a beautiful hall waiting for all of you attendees to visit tomorrow.
7:00 p.m. Registration closes and I stagger over to the Embassy Suites to enjoy the last half hour of the Manager's Reception.

An eventful day and I look forward to tomorrow.

Reminder: The opening session begins at 8:00 a.m. and is in the Performing Arts Center. Till tomorrow!

Day 3: Exhibits Set-up, Attendee Check-In and On-Site Registration Opens

Where to Park

Parking at the North Charleston Convention Center is $5 per day and parking lot E has been assigned to the NGS 2011 Family History Conference.

To get to parking lot E from inside the Convention Center, walk past Exhibit Halls A, B, and C and exit through the doors at the far end of the corridor.

Where to Park

Day 2: It's all about the volunteers

I woke up with a slight headache this morning of  9 May 2011 and wondered if I should even get out of bed! A few alarm snoozes and alerts later, I was finally up and out the door. Had a quick breakfast with the my colleague, Erin and headed over to the convention center....

Meeting room One.....a long day ahead. Bags to be stuffed, signs to be put out, and more!

9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. - Our wonderful volunteers organized by SCGS assisted us in stuffing the bags and having them ready for our attendees to pick up beginning noon tomorrow. I will post the pictures tomorrow morning. A big thank you to all the volunteers who helped us out today. I am not sure what we would do without your help!

Those who can, do.  Those who can do more, volunteer.
-Author Unknown

A gorgeous day outside and we head to Mustard Seed for dinner. I highly recomment the fried green tomatoes with crab cakes.... an appetizer on the menu but definitely a meal I cherish and recommend!

Thank you Sunni, Ruth, Illyce, Susan and Erin for your wonderful company.

Signing off..... More updates tomorrow.

Day 2: It's all about the volunteers

Welcome to the NGS Conference Challenge where you can win a FREE registration for next year’s family history conference!

The rules are simple—go to the location of each of the clues below, take a picture of yourself with the clue or at the clue location, then tweet or e-mail us your photos, which must be sent in a single e-mail.

Two ways to play:
1. TWEET your photos with the #ngs2011hunt hashtag and include what number clue you are on.
2. E-MAIL all your photos in one e-mail to us at ngs2011hunt@ngsgenealogy.org. Put ngs2011hunt in the subject line.

Those who complete each task and submit their photos by Saturday, 14 May, at 10:30 a.m. will be automatically entered to win a free registration for the NGS 2012 Family History Conference!

The most creative and innovative entry will be selected by our esteemed judge. Our prominent judge will be kept hush-hush ..... but will be revealed when the winner is announced.

CLUES:
1. This isn’t your normal playground. Take a picture with an attendee wearing a kilt!
2. A picture of yourself at dinner with a fellow genealogist.
3. Checking out one of our hottest publications or education releases at the NGS booth.
4. Volunteer wearing an ASK ME button.
5. A picture of yourself with an exhibitor whose company name has an "I" or "T" in it.
6. Geeking out a lecture in the GenTech track.
7. A picture of yourself with the largest family tree you can find at the conference.
8. A picture of the person with the most ribbons on their badge (show the ribbons).
9. A picture of yourself with one of the NGS board members.
10. A picture of someone who appeared in one of the NGS videos.

The winner will be announced at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, 14 May, at the NGS booth located in the Exhibit Hall booth #201. Winners must be present!

Sorry, NGS staff, exhibitors, and NGS board members are not eligible to win.

Day 1: Destination Charleston

Dulles International airport was more crowded than usual but I braved the check-in and security lines and hurried over to gate A3C for United Airlines flight 5714 to Charleston. An on-time departure, slightly bumpy flight, and an hour later it was touch down .... smooth landing!

Weather... a gorgeous 84 degrees.... definitely more humid than the DC metro area.... but I am not complaining ... yet.

I picked up my checked in bags and called the hotel (Embassy Suites) where I am staying for the week. I was instructed to head out the doors from the Baggage Claim area, walk across to the center lane, and await the complimentary airport shuttle 20 feet in front of the taxi stand. A short wait later I was sitting comfortably in a shuttle headed to the hotel. Be sure to call the hotel you are staying at to check if they offer complimentary airport shuttles. Check-in was smooth, no lines, and my shuttle driver was kind enough to bring my bags up to my room.

Off to dinner I go.... BBQ was the cuisine of choice and the restaurant Jim & Nick's. Nice restaurant and good BBQ, not the best I have ever had but the corn bread brought to the table before the meal was definitely to die for.

A good day now on to conference preparation starting tomorrow. Time to get some shut eye.

Waiting to see y'all soon! 

Day 1: Destination Charleston

Charleston

Here in the dusky quiet of the streets
Lies a forgotten age
Wrapped in the mellow dimness of the past—
Written on yellowed page.
Here are the musty chronicles of years,
Inscribed by the hand
Of those who passed some centuries ago—
Into another land.
Here, in the past—time immemorial—
Brave men have stood apart
Holding the heritage of ages gone
A people of vibrant heart.

by Ellen Chantal Brown, Ashley Hall, class of 1939
Permission to use the poem given by Ashley Hall

Miss Ann Hill, a student from Ashley Hall, will be the a cappella soloist at the Opening Session on Wednesday morning at 8:00 a.m.

Charleston

A Garden Report - From your Conference Chair

We are having an exceptional spring in South Carolina. It has been cool and dry. The roses and bottlebrush were the prettiest I can remember, and you will see a few remaining in and around Charleston. Many of the storms you have seen on the news have gone north and missed Charleston. The gardenias are in bloom and the Magnolia's are just about to bloom providing you a perfect welcome to Charleston and the Lowcountry.

A Garden Report - From your Conference Chair

Charleston.... Here we come!

Weather
Coming from the Washington DC metro area, where we went from winter, to spring, to winter, to summer and now back to a warm day with blustering winds..... I cannot wait to get to sunny Charleston. Hope to see y'all there too!

Here is a snap shot of the weather in Charleston next week. Be sure to carry an umbrella to brave those isolated thunderstorms and keep watching http://www.weather.com/ for updates.

Clothing
Dress in layers. Most likely, some areas of lecture rooms, or the exhibit hall, will be cold – other areas will be warm. 

Wear comfortable shoes and clothing. You will do lots of walking as well as sitting.

Those going to the banquet, will find there is a wide range of attire; formal dress is not necessary.

Where to eat?
In addition to luncheons, there will be a concession stand in the exhibit hall, and a concession stand in the lobby of the convention center that will be open for breakfast only. Hours of operation are as listed below.

Lobby
Daily 7:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m.

Exhibit Hall
Wednesday,  9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Saturday, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Beer and Wine Concession
Thursday Night Only
5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.

Enjoy the Exhibit Hall extended hours on Thursday!

Charleston.... Here we come!

Ancestry.com Feedback Sessions

Wed, May 11,  & Friday, May 13,  in meeting room; Ashley

Give Ancestry feedback on some new concepts during NGS.  If you are interested in sharing your discoveries with your family, simplifying how many passwords you have to remember, or helping others get started with genealogy, we would like your input.

Sign up here http://tinyurl.com/3ggmkjq

Ancestry.com Feedback Sessions

Stay Connected

Stay connected before, during and after the NGS 2011 Family History Conference with Social Media tools dedicated to sharing information and connecting individuals around the conference.

Tools to follow at the NGS 2011 Family History Conference:

NGS Facebook Connect with members and attendees at the NGS 2011 Family History Conference	NGS Conference Blog  Keep the conversation going, check out the NGS Conference blog
Twitter NGS 2011 Conference (#ngs2011)	NGS YouTube

Social Media Policy

NGS does not permit the recording of presentations at the NGS Family History Conference under any circumstances or in any form or media, including but not limited to audio recordings, video recordings, or literal transcripts, except by specific written permission. JAMB, Inc. contracts with NGS to audio record the lectures of speakers who provide their written consent to be recorded. CD's may be purchased at the conference or ordered after the conference for $12 per CD.

NGS does permit and encourage the use of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and blogging at the conference as a way to summarize, highlight, excerpt, review, critique, and/or promote the presented materials, syllabus materials, or the conference in general, provided that (1) the material is not shared in full and (2) the author/speaker is referenced and cited appropriately in each case. Please keep in mind that our presenters have invested many hours into the development of this material and copyright laws apply.

Stay Connected

Plan Ahead

Before you leave home, decide which lectures you would like to attend. Click here, to download the daily schedule for the conference, which includes information on whether the session is being taped or not, room location etc.

To view and download syllabus pages for those lectures from the NGS website, http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/2011syllabus. Many speakers will refer to these pages in their lectures. 

Note: Due to the large size of the file, please follow the instructions on the page to download and view the file successfully.

Plan Ahead

Visit the NGS Booth #201

Hot off the Presses!

Research in the States Series

                                            Research in South Carolina

                                            Research in Georgia

Stop by the NGS booth and browse our new publications, novelty items, educational courses, and more!

 

Meet the NGS Quarterly Editors

Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS
Melinde Lutz Sandborn, CG, FASG
Friday, 13 May 2011, 2:30 p.m.—3:30 p.m.

 

New Educational Offering

The National Genealogical Society proudly announces the release of its newest educational course, Introduction to Civil War Records, developed by renowned military expert Craig R. Scott, CG at the NGS Family History Conference in Charleston, South Carolina.

This course is available on CD-ROM as a PDF file for $35.00. Craig will make a personal appearance on Saturday, 14 May, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for questions and autographs.

Daily Raffle at the NGS Booth

Wednesday, 11 May 2011: Free conference registration to the NGS 2012 Family History Conference
Thursday, 12 May 2011: American Genealogy Special Topics Series—Combo CD
Friday, 13 May 2011: Choice of two Research in the States Series publications
Saturday, 14 May 2011: Annual NGS membership

All winners will be announced at 4:45 p.m., except for Saturday when the drawing will be held at 2:00 p.m.

Visit the NGS Booth #201

NGS Booth - New Educational Offering, Introduction to Civil War Records

The National Genealogical Society proudly announces the release of its newest educational course, Introduction to Civil War Records, developed by renowned military expert Craig R. Scott, CG at the NGS Family History Conference in Charleston, South Carolina.

Craig R. Scott is a nationally recognized lecturer, educator, and genealogical and historical researcher with more than thirty years experience. He is a member of the Company of Military Historians and specializes in the diverse military records at the National Archives.

Now Craig brings his military expertise to NGS with the Introduction to Civil War Records. In this course, he focuses on current genealogical practices of research.

In this six-chapter course, he will teach you strategies to identify and locate information on an ancestor living at the time of the Civil War. You will learn about numerous records created for, during, and after the war, such as compiled service records, prisoners of war record, pension files and indexes, and post-war records to name a few.

This course is available on CD-ROM as a PDF file for $35.00. Craig will make a personal appearance on Saturday, 14 May, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for questions and autographs.

NGS Booth - New Educational Offering, Introduction to Civil War Records

"A Meeting of Souls" - Madeline Carol

Charleston's High Battery has welcomed generations of locals and tourist alike to experience our historic city. To embrace the experience, one only has to imagine the echo's of the souls of previous generations whispering the past is still present. In "A Meeting of Souls", Madeline Carol creates the reality of the past meeting the spirits of the future. Experience the magic of the past colliding with the future and face the Charleston Harbor, our gateway to the world, heighten your senses and let the magic begin. Click here to read more.

"A Meeting of Souls" - Madeline Carol

The Variety Store

It’s not what you think. It’s a lot more!

The Variety Store is one of the best restaurants in Charleston for breakfast, lunch or dinner and anything in between. They also cater parties and outings of all kinds, as much or as little as you want.

The Variety Store has been a family run business for three generations of “Altines.” The Variety Store was started by the first Mike Altine at the Charleston City Marina as a place you could purchase snacks, soft drinks, fishing gear, etc. Over the years it was expanded into a full restaurant but it has remained a variety store selling some groceries (bread and milk), newspapers, magazines, and providing use of a washing machine and dryer for marina residents.

The best thing about the Variety Store is the food! I highly recommend the club sandwich or she-crab soup for lunch and the fresh fish of the day for dinner.  Breakfast is up to you. I like them all!

Marguerite Bishop
Local Host Chair

[The Variety Store is located at the Charleston Marina on the Ashley River and is one of the sponsors of the South Carolina Genealogical Society’s Wednesday evening Wine and Cheese and Museum Tour event at the NGS Conference.]

The Variety Store

Affordable Sustenance in Downtown Charleston

Let me add a few thoughts to Jan Alpert’s Charleston restaurant perspective.  As a local, living in the Charleston Historic District, I surely agree with her that lunch is a great, economical alternative to the prices (and crowds) of evening fine dining.  And while Charleston has its share of James Beard award winners and Iron Chef competitors, if you aren’t a ‘foodie’ and just want tasty, affordable sustenance, there are other places to go.  None of these need reservations.

Whether you are looking for lunch or dinner, my first suggestion is to head up King Street (north of Market).  On the 4 blocks between Wentworth and Calhoun you’ll find an abundance of budget--friendly casual dining choices.  This area is one of Charleston’s primary shopping streets, but it also adjoins the College of Charleston campus.  You can have barbecue at Jim N Nick’s, burgers at any number of places, a great appetizer sampler at the King Street Grille (sports bar), chicken at the Kickin’ Chicken, pizza at Mellow Mushroom or Pop’s New York Pizza, Mediterranean at Sermet’s (they also offer smaller portion alternatives on their dinner menu) and several Mexican choices.  And if you venture off King Street by ½ block in either direction, you’ll find some other choices including Chopsticks House (Chinese on Society Street) and the ever-popular lunch spot, Jack’s Café (a limited menu, extremely affordable basic lunch only choice on George Street).

If it’s upscale casual you seek, try Caviar and Bananas on George Street (½ block west of King).  They have made to order upscale sandwiches (e.g. duck confit), sushi, and lots of wonderful prepared foods for takeout or very limited dine in seating.

Now, let’s talk desserts.  Bread pudding, my husband’s favorite is available at many places. He likes the version at Poogan’s Porch on Queen Street.  If you want ice cream, try Haagen Dazs or Ben & Jerry’s in the Market area or Ye Ole Fashioned Ice Cream Shoppe on King Street.  There are also several new frozen yogurt places on King.  If you’re looking for pies and cakes, you’ll love Kaminsky’s on North Market.

And when you want an afternoon iced tea or other social beverage, try the rooftop at Market Pavilion hotel (Market and East Bay) for a great view, the Mills House Hotel courtyard (Queen and Meeting) or the very casual Blind Tiger Pub (on Broad Street between Church and State) where you walk through the bar to an enclosed courtyard out back.

There’s no shortage of places to drink, dine or socialize.  Charleston’s social past is still present.  Enjoy!

Pat Kruger
Charleston, South Carolina

Affordable Sustenance in Downtown Charleston