The National Genealogical Society (NGS) is pleased to announce the theme for the NGS 2026 Family History Conference—America at 250. The conference is scheduled for 27–30 May 2026 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Our theme, America at 250, invites us to consider the full span of stories and experiences that have shaped this nation—not just its founding moments, but the generations that followed. We envision a program of sessions, workshops, and interactive experiences that reflect the many ways individuals, families, and communities have lived through, contributed to, and been affected by the unfolding American story.

If you are interested in speaking in 2026, we encourage you to start thinking now about how your work can help others explore, teach, and connect with our country’s broader, more inclusive history. We’re especially interested in approaches that bring forward voices and perspectives often left out of traditional narratives.

Think about the records you’ve used, the histories you’ve uncovered, or the ways you help others engage with the past—and how those might spark deeper conversations about who we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going.

We’ll be looking for proposals that offer thoughtful, practical, and engaging ways to research, interpret, preserve, and share the past. As we reflect on America at 250, we’re particularly interested in sessions that connect with the theme and create meaningful, interactive experiences for attendees of all experience levels.

Start planning now — we look forward to seeing what you’ll bring to the conversation. We will publish the full call for papers, including details on presentation formats and speaker compensation, on this website later this summer.

Before beginning the proposal process, speakers are encouraged to view NGS’ free webinar—Becoming a Better Conference Speaker: Proposals and Preparations—which can be found at the National Genealogical Society YouTube channel.