NGS Conference May 13-16, Raleigh, North Carolina

The following is part of a press release received from the National Genealogical Society:

"Millions of Americans hunger to connect with their roots, and there’s no better way to start than by attending a four-day event packed with experts and family history hobbyists with the same goal. The National Genealogical Society, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, announces its 31st Family History Conference to be held at the Raleigh, North Carolina Convention Center 13-16 May 2009.

This premier event features more than 160 exciting educational sessions and workshops by many of the top names in family history research from North Carolina and around the nation. The variety of topics—from beginner workshops, to understanding and using DNA testing for family history, to finding resources for Native American, African-American, Scots-Irish, and other ethnic groups, to complex problem-solving, and more—provide tools for everyone from the merely curious to those who aspire to become credentialed or professional genealogists.

A bonus of the conference is the exhibit hall filled with software, books, and myriad genealogy-related products, where attendees can meet their favorite authors and genealogists. Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org are sponsoring many informative sessions that focus on effectively using their websites to find family connections. Optional luncheons and dinners provide opportunities for breaking bread with like-minded family history enthusiasts while learning from entertaining speakers. Conference-goers might choose a luncheon featuring a favorite speaker or support a meal sponsored by an organization such as the local host North Carolina Genealogical Society or the New England Historic Genealogical Society or the Board for Certification of Genealogists.

To see the entire exciting program, pre-conference events such as a free African-American Genealogy Forum on 12 May, and registration details, visit www.ngsgenealogy.org/conferences"