Information regarding tracks offered
in 2019 is forthcoming.
2019 INSTITUTE TRACKS & CLASSES
Track 1a: Fundamental Methods and Strategies
Coordinator, Shelley Murphy
Faculty: Shelley Murphy, Judy Russell, Melissa Tennant Rzepczynski, Angela Walton-Raji
Class Offerings:
1. Slavery and the Law- joint with Track 1A-Russell
2. Systems to Track and Document Enslaved Populations - Smith
3. “Researching the Digital Library on American Slavery: Access Pre-Emancipation Slave Documents-Forte (joint with Track 3)-Forte
4. "Reconstruction Era Records: the Key to Breaking Through the 1870 Brick Wall" -Carrier
5. "Documenting Enslaved Ancestors: Working in Antebellum Records."-Carrier
6. Slave Rebellions & Resistance-Walton-Raji
7. Slave schedules - Use Them Properly-Walton-Raji
8. Researching Plantation Journals: A Resource to Pre-Emancipation Documentation of Slaves, their Lifestyle, Owners, Culture & Kinfolk
9. Examining Slave Ship Manifests; Bennett
10. Finding your ancestors in Wills and Deeds-a Case Study-Bennett
11. Slave Runaway Ads for Slave Era Research-Bennett
12. No Stone Unturned: Case Studies in Identifying the Last Slaveholder - Smith
Track 2: DNA & Genealogy
Coordinator Bernice Alexander Bennett
Faculty: Shannon Christmas, Janice Lovelace, Judy Russell, Nicka Sewell-Smith
Focus Track 2a: This section is for individuals who are new to DNA testing and have not taken a formal course or feel competent that they understand the basics of Genetic Genealogy
Track 2b: – This section is an intermediate DNA class and it it designed for individuals that have taken a DNA course either through MAAGI or another entity and are ready to move into intermediate to advance DNA analysis.
Pre-requisites for all participants in both tracks: Participants should have taken at least one autosomal DNA test and received their results prior to attending to MAAGI. Any of these tests are suggested: AncestryDNA, 23andMe, FamilyTreeDNA and MyHeritage DNA.
There are 2 sections for this track. Assignment will be made after assessment.
Additional Requirements:
Class Offerings:
Track 3: Intermediate Genealogy - Pre & Post Slavery Era Research
Coordinator: Janis Minor Forté
Faculty: Juliana Szucs, Ancestry.com; Roberta Ridley, Allen County Public Library; Dr. Alfred Brothers Jr., Lt. Col Air Force Retired, Melissa Tennant, Allen County Public Library; Janis Minor Forté, AAGHSC, and MAAGI Track Coordinator
Focus: Learn to expand your research. Learn to explore new document record groups. Investigate new study techniques and methodologies. Learn problem solving skills and how to develop a new research path. This track provides in depth skill building is researching pre and post slavery era records.
Designed to uncover the hidden documentation of formerly enslaved and free persons of color, this Track is designed to explore the records of the pre and post slavery era period. The core curriculum of this Track’s focus is on best practices standards in African American genealogy with emphasis on methodology and skill-building techniques. Attendees embark on a new adventure to find documentation of enslaved ancestors; to developing new analytical skills, to developing new research pathways towards pre and post emancipation era family history. Learn collaboration and partnership techniques and the value of genealogy support groups. Learn from nationally recognized experts.
Class Offering:
Track 4: Writing Track
Coordinator: Bernice Alexander Bennett
Faculty: Bernice Benett, Shelley Murphy, Janis Minor Forté, Thomas Macentee, Nicka Smith
Focus: The goal of this track is to encourage researchers to turn their research into the printed word. Whether the medium is electronic in the form of a blog or e-book, or to have a tangible printed publication, participants will learn about the various platforms from which they can turn their research into a published work.
Class Offerings:
Track 5: Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes NEW TRACK FOR 2019!
Coordinator: Angela Walton-Raji
Faculty: Ron Graham, Terry Ligon, Janice Lovelace, Nicka Smith, Angela Walton-Raji
Focus: In July 2019 MAAGI will become the first genealogy institute to offer a track devoted entirely to the Freedmen from Indian Territory and the Five Tribes: Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek and Seminole Nations. This focus in the genealogy community, is long overdue as the Oklahoma based Freedmen are uniquely the largest group of African-descended people with the most provable ties to any Native American tribe. For three days the participants will take 12 classes, all of which will be devoted to methods of researching the documenting the history of this most under-discussed population.
Class Offerings:
Coordinator, Shelley Murphy
Faculty: Shelley Murphy, Judy Russell, Melissa Tennant Rzepczynski, Angela Walton-Raji
Class Offerings:
- Intro to Allen County & PERSI - Tennant Rzepczynski
- Time & File Management and Organization - Murphy
- Determining Evidence with Records and Resources - Murphy
- A Genealogy Case Study - Murphy
- So What What’s? Next-Evidence Analysis - Murphy
- Creating Genealogy Timelines - Murphy
- Public Records & the Law - Russell
- Slavery and the Law - Russell
- When Worlds Collide - Russell
- Documenting the Ancestral Community - Walton-Raji
- Telling the Story, of How You Solved A Problem - Walton-Raji
- Researching the Free and Enslaved Africans/American (1619-1865)- Murphy
1. Slavery and the Law- joint with Track 1A-Russell
2. Systems to Track and Document Enslaved Populations - Smith
3. “Researching the Digital Library on American Slavery: Access Pre-Emancipation Slave Documents-Forte (joint with Track 3)-Forte
4. "Reconstruction Era Records: the Key to Breaking Through the 1870 Brick Wall" -Carrier
5. "Documenting Enslaved Ancestors: Working in Antebellum Records."-Carrier
6. Slave Rebellions & Resistance-Walton-Raji
7. Slave schedules - Use Them Properly-Walton-Raji
8. Researching Plantation Journals: A Resource to Pre-Emancipation Documentation of Slaves, their Lifestyle, Owners, Culture & Kinfolk
9. Examining Slave Ship Manifests; Bennett
10. Finding your ancestors in Wills and Deeds-a Case Study-Bennett
11. Slave Runaway Ads for Slave Era Research-Bennett
12. No Stone Unturned: Case Studies in Identifying the Last Slaveholder - Smith
Track 2: DNA & Genealogy
Coordinator Bernice Alexander Bennett
Faculty: Shannon Christmas, Janice Lovelace, Judy Russell, Nicka Sewell-Smith
Focus Track 2a: This section is for individuals who are new to DNA testing and have not taken a formal course or feel competent that they understand the basics of Genetic Genealogy
Track 2b: – This section is an intermediate DNA class and it it designed for individuals that have taken a DNA course either through MAAGI or another entity and are ready to move into intermediate to advance DNA analysis.
Pre-requisites for all participants in both tracks: Participants should have taken at least one autosomal DNA test and received their results prior to attending to MAAGI. Any of these tests are suggested: AncestryDNA, 23andMe, FamilyTreeDNA and MyHeritage DNA.
There are 2 sections for this track. Assignment will be made after assessment.
Additional Requirements:
- All students are required to purchase and read: The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy by Blaine T. Bettinger, and Genetic Genealogy in Practice by Blaine T. Bettinger and Debbie Parker Wayne.
- Must have received your autosomal and other DNA test results.
- Participate in one MAAGI DNA Conference Call – TBA
- Download an upload your autosomal results to Gedmatch.com
- Create a spreadsheet of your results
Class Offerings:
- The Beginner’s Genetic Genealogy - Christmas
- The Genetic Network - Christmas
- DNA Standards and Privacy/Ethics - Russell
- DNA and Genealogy - Christmas
- Strategies for Using Autosomal DNA - Christmas
- Genetic Genealogy Planning - Christmas
- The Emotional Side of DNA - Smith
- GEDMatch, what to do with it and how? - Christmas
- Off-Site Solutions - Smith
- From Widows to Slavecestors to DNA - Smith
- The Family DNA Project - Smith
Track 3: Intermediate Genealogy - Pre & Post Slavery Era Research
Coordinator: Janis Minor Forté
Faculty: Juliana Szucs, Ancestry.com; Roberta Ridley, Allen County Public Library; Dr. Alfred Brothers Jr., Lt. Col Air Force Retired, Melissa Tennant, Allen County Public Library; Janis Minor Forté, AAGHSC, and MAAGI Track Coordinator
Focus: Learn to expand your research. Learn to explore new document record groups. Investigate new study techniques and methodologies. Learn problem solving skills and how to develop a new research path. This track provides in depth skill building is researching pre and post slavery era records.
Designed to uncover the hidden documentation of formerly enslaved and free persons of color, this Track is designed to explore the records of the pre and post slavery era period. The core curriculum of this Track’s focus is on best practices standards in African American genealogy with emphasis on methodology and skill-building techniques. Attendees embark on a new adventure to find documentation of enslaved ancestors; to developing new analytical skills, to developing new research pathways towards pre and post emancipation era family history. Learn collaboration and partnership techniques and the value of genealogy support groups. Learn from nationally recognized experts.
Class Offering:
- Search Strategies and Using Trees to Organize Information: Getting the Most out of Ancestry.com – Szucs
- Exploring Collections Beneficial to African American Research: Hidden Treasures at Ancestry.com, Finding Slave Certificates – Szucs
- Exploring US Probate Records on Ancestry: Slaves identified by name, age, grouping, bill of sale estate settlement, in court records, research tips, -Szucs
- Discovering Unfamiliar African American Resources at Allen County Library. What's New, What's Different and How to Find It, University Library Selected Record Set - Tennant
- African American Military Records: Search, Find, Decipher, Understand, Incorporate – Brothers
- Founding of a Nation: The Revolutionary War & Post-Revolutionary War Period Records – Brothers
- Rebirth of a Nation: The Civil War & Post Civil War Period Records; U.S. Becomes a Superpower; - The Expeditionary Wars: World War I, and World War II Records – Brothers
- Understand & Appreciating the Mysteries of Our Ancestor’s History: A Case Study of social conflict and genetics, family honors, social conflict. Ethics: What to tell, when to tell it, or not. - Ridley
- Census Data: More than Just a Population Count. Knowing What the Census Columns Says, African Americans on pre emancipation census schedule(s) – Forté
- Researching Plantation Journals: A Resource to Pre-Emancipation Documentation of Slaves, their life style; their Owners, Culture & Kin, - Forte Seven Proven Strategies to Identify the Slave Holder: Finding Missing Kin and Reconstructing Families. Learn exploration, methodologies and strategies in record system search -Forté
- What’s My Brick Wall? Focus: A hands-on problem solving session. Participants present brick wall/road block in brief. Work Group(s) analyze, strategize, brain storm, review, report -Forté
Track 4: Writing Track
Coordinator: Bernice Alexander Bennett
Faculty: Bernice Benett, Shelley Murphy, Janis Minor Forté, Thomas Macentee, Nicka Smith
Focus: The goal of this track is to encourage researchers to turn their research into the printed word. Whether the medium is electronic in the form of a blog or e-book, or to have a tangible printed publication, participants will learn about the various platforms from which they can turn their research into a published work.
Class Offerings:
- Time and File Management – Murphy
- Developing Your Book Proposal for Mainstream Media – Walton-Raji
- It’s All About the Writing – Murphy
- Using Canva for Publication Design – Smith
- Publishing a Heritage Book – Minor-Forté
- Publishing a Genealogy E-book – Macentee
- Publishing a Family Book – Smith
- The Story of How I Solved a Research Problem – Walton-Raji
- Writing Assignment – Create Your Own Blog/Develop Your Own Proposal
- Self-Publishing for Genealogists – Macentee
- MS Word and Self Publishing – Macentee
- Present Your Project – Walton-Raji
Track 5: Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes NEW TRACK FOR 2019!
Coordinator: Angela Walton-Raji
Faculty: Ron Graham, Terry Ligon, Janice Lovelace, Nicka Smith, Angela Walton-Raji
Focus: In July 2019 MAAGI will become the first genealogy institute to offer a track devoted entirely to the Freedmen from Indian Territory and the Five Tribes: Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek and Seminole Nations. This focus in the genealogy community, is long overdue as the Oklahoma based Freedmen are uniquely the largest group of African-descended people with the most provable ties to any Native American tribe. For three days the participants will take 12 classes, all of which will be devoted to methods of researching the documenting the history of this most under-discussed population.
Class Offerings:
- Basic Records for Oklahoma Freedman Research -Walton-Raji
- Chickasaw Freedmen and Equity Case 7071 - Ligon
- Before the Dawes Rolls – Exploring Slavery Era & Earlier Freedmen Records - Walton-Raji
- IT Freedmen in the Civil War: USCTs & Indian Home Guards- Walton-Raji
- Understanding Creek Dawes Records - Graham
- Exceptions to the Rule - Unique Creek Records - Graham
- The Case of Joe & Dillard Perry & Dora and Jesse McGee - Ligon
- Finding Ike Rogers and other Cherokee Freedmen - Smith
- Following the Footnotes in Oklahoma Freedmen Studies- Ligon
- The Kingsbury's of the Choctaw Nation - Lovelace
- Life Before Statehood – Freedman Associations, Societies, and Schools - Walton-Raji
- Africans on the Trail of Tears - Ligon
- Freedman Community Extraction Project - Ligon
Don't get left behind.
Three days of learning, researching and networking await you at MAAGI!