If you are planning on being in D.C. during the Gen-Fed week, consider joining us for the Alumni Association evening gathering on August 16th. Reservations are required, go to https://www.gen-fed.org/home/alumni-association/banquet24/ for more information.
Our speaker will be Trevor K. Plante, Supervisory Archivist at the D.C. National Archives, who will inform us on the progress of NARA’s digitization efforts.
The Gen-Fed Alumni Association is pleased to present Julie Huffman as the winner of the 2024 Richard S. Lackey Memorial Scholarship.
Julie Huffman has been the genealogy librarian at the Central Library of Los Angeles Public Library for 10 years and—over the course of 23 years at LAPL—a young adult, children’s, and adult reference librarian.
Her Master of Library and Information Science is from UCLA and she has a Bachelor’s of Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Welcome, Julie, to the class of 2024!
Gen-Fed 2024 Date Change! Sometimes, we just have to roll with the punches. If these new dates allow you to attend now, Gen-Fed is still accepting entries for the registration drawing through February 16th, 2024. One of the benefits of this change is that we can add three more seats. It may not seem like a lot, but with our limited classroom size, we try to accomodate as many as we can. If you have already signed up for the drawing and cannot now attend, send an email to info@gen-fed.org.
To enter your name in the drawing click here after reading the FAQ below: https://airtable.com/app89NTnfxcLGjVIM/shrEBtczX6ITPEa6S
The form closes at 9:00 p.m. ET on Friday, 16 February 2024. Gen-Fed will send an email to entrants after the form closes on 16 February with the Zoom link for the live drawing on Saturday, 17 February at 1:00 p.m. ET / noon CT / 11:00 a.m. MT / 10:00 a.m. PT. You do not need to attend to be awarded the registration seat. Please mark “info@gen-fed.org” as a safe contact in your email!
Q: How will I know if I won a Gen-Fed seat?
A: Winners will be randomly drawn on Saturday, 17 February 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET during a live session, viewable by all, via Zoom (you don’t need to be present to win).
Q: How many seats are available?
A: In 2024 we will be now be drawing 38 seats. This is determined by (a) the number of persons allowed in the space reserved for us at Archives I, plus (b) the number of 2023 scholarship winners or sponsored students who selected Gen-Fed as their institute of choice. Twenty additional names, above and beyond the remaining available seats, will be drawn for waitlist status.
Q: How many times can I enter?
A: Once, please. Duplicates will not be included in the drawing.
Q: When will waitlist entrants be notified that they’re “in?”
A: ASAP, if/when seats become open. No waitlist students will be notified after July 10th. The waitlist students will not be held over for 2025.
Q: When do I pay tuition?
A: Payment ($650) will be due, in full, upon email notification that you’ve won a seat and are officially registered.
Q: What if I’m attending on a scholarship (ex: Lackey, ASG, BCG, other sponsorship, etc.)?
A: No need to fill out the form–your seat has already been reserved.
Q: What about hotel and transportation?
A: Each student is responsible for their own transportation and board. Gen-Fed has contracted with a local hotel for a lower group rate. Go to the Registration FYI page for more.
Q: What else should I know?
A: Students must all agree to abide by the Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct to be allowed to register. Additionally, the National Archives has COVID regulations in place, and the Gen-Fed Institute has also amended it to include their own recommendations. Both must be at least read before a person can be entered into the drawing. Read them here.
Q: Am I ready for Gen-Fed?
A: This is an important question. Gen-Fed is a week of advanced-level courses on federal records in a complex facility. It is best to have at least intermediate to higher-intermediate level skills and education going into this week. Try this self-evaluation test here.
Good luck and we hope to see you in the second week of August!
Rebecca and Mary
After reading the FAQ at https://www.gen-fed.org/advantageous-accidents-gen-fed-drawing-2024/, use this link to enter your name in the drawing, https://airtable.com/app89NTnfxcLGjVIM/shrEBtczX6ITPEa6S .
Gen-Fed will send an email to entrants after the form closes on 16 February with the Zoom link for the live drawing on Saturday, 17 February at 1:00 p.m. ET / noon CT / 11:00 a.m. MT / 10:00 a.m. PT. You do not need to attend the drawing to be awarded the registration seat. Registrants will be contacted between Saturday and Monday, 19 February with final registration materials.
We are looking forward to seeing you on Saturday!
In the excitement of creating the previous news post, and the admittedly new-to-making-Airtable-wow-this-is-fun glow, I accidentally already posted the link for entering names into the drawing for registration seats, instead of waiting to post it the week of February 10th through February 16th, 2024 as stated. So we asked ourselves, what’s the harm? We are interested to see how this advantageous accident – having the link up for longer than one week – will affect the ability of people to become aware of this unique educational experience. The link will stay up from now until the form closes at 9:00 p.m. ET on Friday, 16 February 2024. The FAQ about registration is repeated below and has been expanded.
Use this link to enter your name in the drawing, after reading the FAQ below: https://airtable.com/app89NTnfxcLGjVIM/shrEBtczX6ITPEa6S
Gen-Fed will send an email to entrants after the form closes on 16 February with the Zoom link for the live drawing on Saturday, 17 February at 1:00 p.m. ET / noon CT / 11:00 a.m. MT / 10:00 a.m. PT. You do not need to attend to be awarded the registration seat.
Q: When and where is Gen-Fed held this year?
A: The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records will be held in-person at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., from Sunday, August 4th through Saturday, August 10th, 2024.
Q: Am I ready for Gen-Fed?
A: This is an important question. Gen-Fed is a week of advanced-level courses on federal records in a complex facility. It is best to have at least intermediate to higher-intermediate level skills and education before going into this week. Try this self-evaluation test here.
Q: Why hold a drawing for registration, why can’t I just register?
A: More people want to attend Gen-Fed than we can accommodate at NARA. For that reason, we use a random selection process to even the playing field. After entries are collected, they will be entered for a random drawing to select registrants. If you are selected, you must be prepared to pay the fee, agree to policies, and attend the week of Gen-Fed.
Q: How many seats are available?
A: In 2024 we will be drawing 35 seats. This is determined by (a) the number of persons allowed in the space reserved for us at Archives I, plus (b) the number of 2023 scholarship winners or sponsored students who selected Gen-Fed as their institute of choice. Twenty additional names, above and beyond the remaining available seats, will be drawn for waitlist status for 2024 only. Those on the waitlist will be registered if people selected for the drawing need to withdraw and a seat becomes open.
Q: How will I know if I won a Gen-Fed seat?
A: Winners will be randomly drawn on Saturday, 17 February 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET during a live session, viewable by all, via Zoom (you don’t need to be present to win).
Q: How many times can I enter?
A: Once, please. Duplicates will not be included in the drawing.
Q: When will waitlist entrants be notified that they’re “in?”
A: ASAP, if/when seats become open.
Q: Will waitlist entrants be on the list for next year?
A: No, the list starts fresh next year with a new drawing.
Q: When do I pay tuition?
A: Payment ($650) will be due, in full, upon email notification that you’ve won a seat and are officially registered.
Q: What if I’m attending on a scholarship (ex: Lackey, ASG, BCG, other sponsorship, etc.)?
A: No need to fill out the form–your seat has already been reserved.
Q: What about hotel and transportation?
A: Each student is responsible for their own transportation and board. Gen-Fed has contracted with a local hotel for a lower group rate. Go to the Registration FYI page for more.
Q: If I get a registration seat, then I have to withdraw, can I have a seat saved for next year? If not, can I get a refund?
A: No, seats are not saved for next year. The drawing starts fresh every year. Exceptions to this are on a case-by-case basis and are exceptionally rare. Gen-Fed offers a full refund less any bank fees incurred.
Q: What else should I know?
A: Students must all agree to abide by the Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct to be allowed to register. Additionally, the National Archives has COVID regulations in place, and the Gen-Fed Institute has also amended it to include their own recommendations. Read them; you must agree to the Code of Ethics and confirm that you will comply with the NARA COVID regulations as well as understand what the Institute COVID recommendations are.
Here’s to the Advantageous Accidents that may find their way into your Research!
The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records will be held in-person at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., from Sunday, August 4th through Saturday, August 10th, 2024.Gen-Fed will begin accepting entries for the registration drawing the week of February 10th through February 16th, 2024. More people want to attend Gen-Fed than we can accommodate at NARA. For that reason, we use a random selection process to even the playing field:
To enter your name in the drawing click here after reading the FAQ below: https://airtable.com/app89NTnfxcLGjVIM/shrEBtczX6ITPEa6S
Gen-Fed will send an email to entrants after the form closes on 16 February with the Zoom link for the live drawing on Saturday, 17 February at 1:00 p.m. ET / noon CT / 11:00 a.m. MT / 10:00 a.m. PT. You do not need to attend to be awarded the registration seat.
Q: How will I know if I won a Gen-Fed seat?
A: Winners will be randomly drawn on Saturday, 17 February 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET during a live session, viewable by all, via Zoom (you don’t need to be present to win).
Q: How many seats are available?
A: In 2024 we will be drawing 35 seats. This is determined by (a) the number of persons allowed in the space reserved for us at Archives I, plus (b) the number of 2023 scholarship winners or sponsored students selected Gen-Fed as their institute of choice. Twenty additional names, above and beyond the remaining available seats, will be drawn for waitlist status.
Q: How many times can I enter?
A: Once, please. Duplicates will not be included in the drawing.
Q: When will waitlist entrants be notified that they’re “in?”
A: ASAP, if/when seats become open.
Q: When do I pay tuition?
A: Payment ($650) will be due, in full, upon email notification that you’ve won a seat and are officially registered.
Q: What if I’m attending on a scholarship (ex: Lackey, ASG, BCG, other sponsorship, etc.)?
A: No need to fill out the form–your seat has already been reserved.
Q: What about hotel and transportation?
A: Each student is responsible for their own transportation and board. Gen-Fed has contracted with a local hotel for a lower group rate. Go to the Registration FYI page for more.
Q: What else should I know?
A: Students must all agree to abide by the Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct to be allowed to register. Additionally, the National Archives has COVID regulations in place, and the Gen-Fed Institute has also amended it to include their own recommendations. Read them before you fill in your entry form.
Q: Am I ready for Gen-Fed?
A: This is an important question. Gen-Fed is a week of advanced-level courses on federal records in a complex facility. It is best to have at least intermediate to higher-intermediate level skills and education going into this week. Try this self-evaluation test here.
Good luck and we hope to see you this year!
Rebecca and Mary
We regret to announce that Cinda Baxter, CG, has stepped away as the Gen-Fed Assistant Director. She has given this program so much with her talents in organization, dedication, and enthusiasm. She will be missed. We now ask all to welcome our new colleague.
holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Fairfield University and attended the MBA program at Rutgers University. Prior to a move to Williamsburg, Virginia, in 2006, she was the Director of Benefits for a Fortune 500 company. Like many newcomers to the Historic Triangle region, Mary immersed herself in the unique opportunities available in the area to learn more about the people who once lived there. That information led to the discovery of the deep roots of her own family in Virginia. As a result, what had been a vague interest in family history became a passion.
A relative latecomer to genealogy, Mary has benefited greatly from the numerous offerings for genealogical education. She started with the National Genealogical Society home study course in American Genealogy, followed by the ProGen Study Group, while simultaneously attending local, state, and national conferences. In addition, since 2012 she regularly attends courses at the various institutes. In 2014 she attended the National Institute on Genealogical Research (NIGR)—renamed the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) the following year. This concentrated genealogical education helped Mary meet her goal of becoming a board-certified genealogist. She attained the designation of Certified Genealogist® in March 2016. The research report from her portfolio is one of the sample reports on the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG) website.
Members of the Virginia Genealogical Society (VGS) elected Mary to their board in 2014. During her years with VGS, she served in multiple roles including two terms as president and one as treasurer before stepping down in July 2023. She was the local society host co-chair for the 2021 and 2023 National Genealogical Society conferences. For two years beginning in July 2016, she was the co-editor of BCG’s Springboard. Mary served as a trustee for BCG from 2020–2023. She is currently the BCG ACTION list administrator.
The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) Alumni Association sponsors the Richard S. Lackey Scholarship. The Gen-Fed Alumni Association’s purpose is to promote, conduct, and foster education, research, study, and analysis related to genealogy and to disseminate information and support other similar undertakings.
Richard S. Lackey (1921-1983) of Mississippi was a leader in the drive to improve the professionalization of the genealogical community. In addition to lecturing and teaching, he was an author/compiler of standards for genealogical writing, and of Mississippi source material. His work exemplified the highest standards of competent research and scholarly citation of sources. At the time of his death, Richard was President of the Board for Certification of Genealogists.
The Lackey scholarship is awarded annually to an experienced researcher active in a paid or volunteer position which directly benefits the genealogical community. This year the scholarship will award $1000, which covers full tuition for the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed), and partly defrays hotel and/or meal costs. Provided the public health situation allows it, the Gen-Fed Alumni Association will also provide dinner at the Gen-Fed Alumni Banquet on Friday night, August 9, 2024, where a check for the amount less tuition will be presented to the recipient.
Gigi Nelson, the 2023 Lackey winner, says:
“It was a true honor to be selected to attend Gen-Fed 2023 as the Lackey Scholarship awardee. Gen-Fed is like Coachella for genealogists. It’s a week to immerse yourself in learning about the records that are stored at the National Archives, and do deep-dives into record sets that are of particular interest. Attending Gen-Fed has definitely helped me further develop my research skills. In addition to the education that the Gen-Fed experience provides, it also allowed me to network with genealogists from around the country. Overall, it was a fantastic experience and I would recommend it to any genealogist serious about honing their craft.”
The application can be downloaded here.
Details:
The winner will be notified by 1 March 2024. Other applicants will be notified shortly after that date. The scholarship winner will automatically be accepted for the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records to be held at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., from August 4-10, 2024.
Thank you to all those who applied for registration to the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records for 2023. Persons whose names were drawn have been notified by email that they will be able to register for the event. Additionally a waitlist of 12 people have also been notified by email; the waitlist is for this year only and will not be held over until the next registration.
If you were not able to come this time, we sincerely hope you will be able to join us in the future!
Rebecca & Cinda
The Gen-Fed Alumni Association is pleased to present Aungelic “Gigi” Nelson as the winner of the 2023 Richard S. Lackey Memorial Scholarship.
Gigi is an accomplished speaker, genealogist, and historian. Born in Los Angeles and raised in an Army family, she spent her school years living all over the country and overseas. She holds both a BA (Columbus State University, Columbus, GA,) and a master’s degree (University of Alabama, Birmingham) in American History, and taught college-level history courses and other related subjects. After years of teaching, she became a military historian with the Air Force and completed two deployments downrange as a combat historian. In 2017, she finally settled down in Washington, DC, where her passion for genealogy became a mission.
That passion led her to create the Majani Project, a nonprofit online genealogical club for Black youth (www.majani.org). When she realized there were no books specifically to introduce Black young adults to genealogy, she wrote and published one herself. For The Culture: A Genealogy Handbook For The Cool Kids is a labor of love with lots of pictures and activities to get youth started on their genealogical journey of connecting to their ancestors and finding strength, resilience, and self-identity in their Black heritage.
Gigi has also developed a public speaking program on “Restorative Genealogy” directed to religious and social organizations where she speaks nationwide to groups about how genealogy can be more than just a hobby if more family historians are willing to put all family records (the great and the not-so-great) online. Making records available and searchable is a gift that can have profound effects on those attempting to piece together their own family story. Her book on that will be published this year.
Gigi is a member of various local and national historical societies and genealogical associations. A former elected commissioner for her neighborhood in Washington, DC, she enjoys researching genealogy for herself and others, skating, dancing, and cooking.