Course Type: Immersive

Live Session held, August 11, 2025 

Couldn't make the live event?
Register now for the recording and get guidance with 2 weeks of direct Q&A with the instructor!

Uncover Your Family's Story in Historical Newspapers!

While obituaries and death notices are a common starting point, your ancestors' lives likely graced the newspaper pages far more often than you'd think! Even a fleeting mention can open a window into their world. Historical newspapers are a treasure trove of information, offering unparalleled insights into your family's past.

We'll explore major digitized newspaper websites, from free resources like Chronicling America and Old Fulton Post Cards to subscription services such as Newspapers.com, GenealogyBank.com, and NewspaperArchive.com.

Beyond just knowing where to look, you'll master effective search techniques to maximize your research and avoid getting lost down the "rabbit hole." We'll also equip you with clever "hacks" to overcome common challenges like imperfect optical-character recognition and how to proceed when old newspapers no longer exist.

Ready to bring your family's history to life?

About the instructor:

James M. Beidler is the author of the only full-length book on newspapers and genealogy, The Family Tree Historical Newspapers Guide, and a former full-time journalist who witnessed how everything from obituaries to personality profiles was published. He’s also been interim executive director for Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania twice, writes “Roots & Branches,” a weekly newspaper column/blog, is a German Life magazine columnist, and was editor emeritus of Der Kurier, the quarterly journal of the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society.

In this course, you'll gain the confidence to:

• Beyond the Obituary: Uncover a wealth of hidden stories about your ancestor's life that go far beyond just their death notice.
• Leave No Stone Unturned: Learn how to pinpoint every newspaper published in your ancestor's community during their lifetime, ensuring you don't miss a single clue.
• Discover the Unexpected: Be amazed by the surprising types of information you'll find in old newspapers, from social events to quirky local news.
• Beat the Bots: Master clever "hacks" to outsmart optical-character recognition (OCR) errors and unlock even more fruitful search results.
• Build a Life Story: Piece together a vibrant biography of your ancestor, one fascinating newspaper mention at a time.