Federal Funding for Historical Archives May Be History
Archivists are trying to keep a line item in President Bush's proposed 2006 budget from making fewer historical records available to you in the future. According to a National Archives and Records Administration press release, "the President's budget
also recommends an end to all grant funding and staff support for the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)."
NHPRC, an arm of NARA that makes grants for preserving and publishing historical records, has awarded $153 million to 4,000 state and local government archives, colleges and universities, and individuals over the past 40 years. The money has supported
projects to publish papers of notables such as John Adams, George Washington and Eleanor Roosevelt; improve your access to collections such as the Nevada Women's Archives (http://www.library.unr.edu/specoll/womarchp.html)
and help states preserve their electronic records. See a list of NHPRC-funded project at http://www.archives.gov/grants/funded_endorsed_projects/
funded_endorsed_projects.html.
Even if the proposed budget passes unchanged, NHPRC will continue to fund multiple-year grants until the awarded funding has been used.
Efforts are underway to persuade Congress to restore NHPRC funding. A joint task force of the Society of American Archivists, Council of State Historical Records Coordinators and National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators is
urging researchers to fax letters to Congressional representatives. See http://www.archivists.org/news/nhprc-FY2006.asp for more information. You also can sign an online petition
at http://www.savearchives.org.
Beehive State Adds to Online Records
Last month, Utah joined the handful of states that've put historical death data at genealogists' fingertips. The state archives' Utah History and Research Center has created an online index to hundreds of thousands of death certificates issued from 1904
(when statewide recordkeeping began) to 1954. Utah death certificates aren't public until 50 years after they're created.
Search the database at http://historyresearch.utah.gov/indexes/20842.htm by your ancestor's name. A form on the results page lets you contact the state archives to inquire
about ordering copies. Staff will get back to you about the fee amount—50 cents per page, due in advance (see http://historyresearch.utah.gov/services/costs.htm for more on fees).
Oui the People
Learn more about your French roots through a joint Library of Congress/National Library of France Web site called France in America (http://international.loc.gov/intldl/fiahtml/fiahome.html)
that explores the history of the French in North America from the early 16th to the early 19th centuries.
The bilingual pages (English at the top, francais at the bottom) have historical information, a detailed timeline and more than 100,000 digital images: maps of New France, documents, firsthand accounts of travel in the fledgling USA, photos and
more. In 2006, the libraries will add documents focusing on the 19th century.
France in America is part of the Library of Congress' Global Gateway of sites that shed light on US history with the Netherlands, Spain, Russia and other countries—check it out at http://international.loc.gov
even if your ancestors aren't French.
The Best of AncestorNews: Ancestors on the Move
Having trouble tracking down those elusive ancestors? In this biweekly, Web-exclusive column, contributing editor Nancy Hendrickson points to new and helpful ways to do your computer-related genealogy research. This week, she writes about your ancestors'
common migration routes. Read more at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/ancestornews/current.html.
Hendrickson is a family historian, freelance writer and the author of the book Finding Your Roots Online, on sale now at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/store/display.asp?id=70583.
Browse the archive of her AncestorNews columns at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/ancestornews/previous.html.
Be first to check out these new articles on our Web site:
Apple of Your Eye
Q. I happily made the switch to a Macintosh computer, but I'm holding onto my old PC because I haven't found a suitable genealogy program
to transfer all my Family Tree Maker (http://www.familytreemaker.com) files. I wish Family Tree Maker would create a version for Macs because I really enjoy the program. Can you suggest another
program for Mac users?
A. Maybe the publisher of Family Tree Maker—which, by the way, isn't affiliated with Family Tree Magazine—will read this and take the hint. Meanwhile, though, consider Leister Productions'
Reunion (http://www.leisterpro.com), which Family Tree Magazine contributing editor/computer guru Rick Crume says is powerful and compares favorably to the best PC programs. It costs as little
as $89.
Read our review of another Mac program, MacFamilyTree from OnlyMac Software (http://www.onlymac.de/indexe.html), in the August 2005 Family Tree Magazine (on newsstands and our Web site June
21). Heredis Mac X (http://www.myheredis.com) is a third option.
GEDitCOM is a Mac utility program—rather than full-featured family-history software—that lets you edit and view GEDCOM files (GEDCOM is the universal format for family tree files). It costs $49.99 from http://www.geditcom.com,
but you can download a free version that doesn't have editing capabilities.
To see screen shots, read or submit reviews and get other advice on being a Mac genealogist in a PC world, visit http://www.macgenealogy.org.
—Diane Haddad
Diane Haddad is editor of the Family Tree Magazine E-mail Update.
Read more Q&A with the experts at
http://www.familytreemagazine.com/nowwhatonline/previous.html.
How To Get a Free Photo Analysis
Expert photo historian Maureen A. Taylor helps readers analyze old family pictures in her Web-exclusive column Identifying Family Photographs. This week, she explains how to submit a photo for a free analysis that can help you learn who's in your picture
and when it was taken.
http://www.familytreemagazine.com/photos/current.htm.
If you have a family photo mystery for Taylor to solve, check out our Submission Guidelines at http://www.familytreemagazine.com/photos/photohelp.htm.
Houston, Texas
Emily Anne Croom
May 29
Bay Area Genealogical Society
- Topic: Where in the World? Using Maps in Genealogy
For more information, e-mail Dick Warren.
Morris. Minn.
Rick Crume
June 18
Minnesota Genealogical Society meeting
- Topic: Immigration and Naturalization Records Online
For more information, contact the Minnesota Genealogical Society.
PUBLISH YOUR FAMILY HISTORY. Preserve and share your precious family research. Personal coaching. Many options. www.GatewayPress.com
RootsMagic Genealogy Software - "An excellent choice for any genealogist" says Family Tree Magazine. Get a free trial copy at http://www.RootsMagic.com
Searching for ancestors in Virginia or Michigan? Stay on course with Carol McGinnis' MICHIGAN GENEALOGY. New 2ND Edition
http://www.genealogical.com/item_detail.asp?afid=&ID=3525 or
VIRGINIA GENEALOGY: Sources & Resources.
http://www.genealogical.com/item_detail.asp?afid=&ID=3526
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