Expert Tips For Discovering Your Family’s History (NAPSA)—If you’re like many Americans, you have questions about your family history. Now, genealogy experts Kenyatta Berry, Joshua Taylor and Mary Tedesco from “Genealogy Roadshow”on PBSoffer some advice for researching your family’s history: 1)Collect as manyoral histories as possible. Your living ancestors have information and stories to share. Interview them and recordtheir stories. 2)Gather all the photos and documentation that you can. Items might includebirth, death and marriage certificates; diplomas and other school documents; military service documents; Communion or other social, service andreligious documents; and real estate documents. 3) Begin a secondary search. Fortunately, many ancestryrelated documents, such as the U.S. Census, military documents, immigration lists and newspaper archives are now digitized and available on the Internet at little or no cost. 4)Consult with outside sources, such aslibrarians, historians, genealogy organizations and databanks to find access to resources. 5) Work backward.It’s generally easier if you begin with the present day and go back through time. Here are two more enjoyable ways to inspire yourself and your family in your ancestry search: Credit: Daniel Burke Genealogists Kenyatta Berry, Joshua Taylor and Mary Tedesco offer simple steps to help you learn about your genealogy. (“Genealogy Roadshow”pre- mieres on PBS January 13; check locallistings.) 1. The next time youre planning a family reunion, make it more meaningful by incorporating a visit to a place of significance—such as a location relevant to your family history—into thefestivities. 2.Watch how others go about finding their roots. Part detective story, part emotional journey, “Genealogy Roadshow” (running as of January 13 on PBS andalso available at PBS.org) combines history and science to uncover the fascinating stories of diverse Americans. Each individual featured finds that his or her past links to a larger community history, revealing the rich cultural tapestry of America. Find additional resources for tracing your own ancestry at www.PBS.org.
