Nine African Americans — two women and seven children — were posed amid a laundry day setting in a rare Civil War-era photograph. The handwritten caption identified them only as “Felix Richards Slaves” and the location as Volusia, near Alexandria, Va. Could their true identities be established? In this case study, historian and genealogist Amy Bertsch discusses a variety of sources, including probate records, a chancery suit, Civil War pension applications, and the former enslaver’s federal compensation claim, she used to identify the individuals in the photo, which is now at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. She explores how these records can yield new discoveries for family historians and she also demonstrates the importance of researching the enslaver’s family when conducting African American family research.

Knowing what we can freely use, without permission, in our family histories ensures that we are not infringing on the rights of others. For example, did you know that if you watch your grandmother make her secret pasta sauce, writing down the ingredients and methods she used, you have created your own ‘literary work’ which is now protected by copyright? (Just don’t tell Granny!) How then does copyright law apply to published and unpublished works? What is fair use and moral rights? Can a distant cousin use information in her family book that I have researched? This presentation will examine those aspects of Australia’s copyright law which apply to family historians and discusses ways we can comply with the law.

The landscape of Canada is extensive, and so are our genealogy resources! In this presentation we’ll take a look at accessing some of the most common Canadian genealogy documents available online including census, immigration, military, and vital records. We’ll also explore the abundant number of Canadian Jewish specific resources including archives and heritage organizations, newspapers, and digitized books.

Many Australians will have a soldier or sailor somewhere in their family tree, particularly from the 20th century onwards. Finding those ancestors who served in Australian contingents during World War One or Two for example, is a relatively straightforward process, mainly because the records are mostly available in Australian archives. However, once the search moves back into the 19th or 18th century, then it can become a more complicated puzzle. This presentation provides an overview of the military history of Europe during the 19th and 18th centuries and outlines the range of records which are available, such as those at The National Archives (UK) in particular as well as Australian archives and military museums and an increasing number of online resources. The wealth of detail will help reveal the life of your military ancestor and may even be able to take your research back into the 18th century.