Plan your visit
Early Registration Open for Midwestern Roots Genealogy Conference
INDIANAPOLIS—Early registration is open for a genealogy conference jam packed with ways to explore your family tree. The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) proudly announces details for Midwestern Roots 2019, July 19 and 20, at the Indianapolis Marriott East, located at 7202 E. 21st St. in downtown Indianapolis.
The two-day event is designed for anyone bitten by the genealogy bug—from the amateur enthusiast to the seasoned professional. Conference planner Lauren Peightel says the range of topics covered this year may be the most diverse in the history of the event.
“Midwestern Roots 2019 will cover the latest on DNA technology, Latino migration, the stigma and myth surrounding Native American heritage, African American history research and more,” said Peightel, IHS coordinator for Genealogy and Family History Programs. “We’re also offering sessions on researching disease and utilizing asylum records—topics that typically do not receive much attention.”
Sessions will be led by nationally renowned speakers such as Lisa A. Alzo, Blaine T. Bettinger, Juliana Szucs, D. Joshua Taylor, Ari Wilkins and more. A vendor hall will allow guests to meet and mingle with genealogy companies and regional organizations. In addition, Midwestern Roots features multiple registration options with dozens of preconference activities and the chance to connect with other genealogists.
Events start Wednesday, July 17, with a live taping of “Stuff You Missed in History Class.” Podcast co-hosts Tracy V. Wilson and Holly Frey will talk about New Harmony, Indiana, and Utopian societies in a presentation discounted to conference attendees. Then on Thursday, July 18, preconference activities focus on topics such as preservation, digitization, the organization of family heirlooms and writing your family story.
Midwestern Roots 2019 is presented in partnership with Ancestry.com and Allen County Public Library, with support from Indiana State Archives, Indiana State Library and Ohio Genealogical Society. An early registration discount is available now through June 16. Ticket price includes parking and lunches. Preregistration is encouraged as seating is limited.
To register, visit www.indianahistory.org/midwesternroots or call IHS at (317) 232-1882. Participants can also stay up-to-date on the latest news by following @indianahistory on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and using #MRoots2019.
About the Indiana Historical Society
Since 1830, the Indiana Historical Society has been Indiana’s Storyteller™, connecting people to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing the state’s history. A private, nonprofit membership organization, IHS maintains the nation’s premier research library and archives on the history of Indiana and the Old Northwest and presents a unique set of visitor experiences called the Indiana Experience. IHS also provides support and assistance to local museums and historical groups; publishes books and periodicals; sponsors teacher workshops; produces and hosts art exhibitions, museum theater and outside performance groups; and provides youth, adult and family programs. IHS is a Smithsonian Affiliate and a member of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience.
