This year’s conference will shine a light on the stories, communities, and research strategies that help us understand the nation’s past. I have discussed many of the conference sessions with this focus in previous posts, but there are many others including these:
Why We Remember: The Psychology of Commemoration and the 250th Anniversary of America
Instructor: Dr. Penny Walters
What makes us pause to celebrate big milestones like America’s 250th? This session explores the psychology behind commemoration – why we mark the past, how those moments shape identity and memory, and how bringing your ancestors’ stories into the picture helps build a richer, more inclusive national story.
Beneath the Stone: Genealogical Strategies for Documenting Veterans in National Cemeteries
Instructor: Bonnie Wade Mucia, AG
Behind every military headstone lies a story. Learn strategies to uncover, document, and share the lives of veterans interred in U.S. National Cemeteries–using records, context, and ethical storytelling to honor their service and preserve their legacy.
Acknowledging and Healing Intergenerational Trauma through Genealogy
Panel: Kate Townsend, CG, Angelica Singh, MA, and Cecelia McFadden
Join a panel of genealogists and a trauma therapist for a candid discussion on how exploring family history can help acknowledge and heal intergenerational trauma. Learn how uncovering, understanding, and sharing ancestors’ stories–both painful and redemptive–can promote empathy, connection, and resilience across generations.
Contextualizing Migration: Integrating Social, Economic, and Historical Factors into America’s 250-Year Narrative
Instructor: Dr. Penny Walters
Go beyond names and dates to explore your ancestors moved–linking family immigration stories to larger forces like industrialization, west-ward expansion, and religious movements. Learn to identify key push-pull factors, use contextual evidence alongside records, and connect individual migrations to America’s 250-year national narrative.
Conference registration is now open at conference.ngsgenealogy.org/2026registration/