If you’re #NotAtRootsTech SLC between Wednesday, February 27th and Saturday, March 3rd, they will be broadcasting the daily general sessions and a few daily classes live, for free each day at RootsTech.org.*
You can also participate live, using social media sites (in the past organizers have used Twitter) to respond to questions or follow conversations by tweeting or using the hashtag #RootsTech or #NotAtRootsTech. You can also follow discussions about RootsTech on social media sites by searching for the hashtag #RootsTech or #NotAtRootsTech.
Free RootsTech 2019 SLC Classes at RootsTech.org
| Day Time Class Title | Class Description. Speaker(s) |
| Wednesday, Feb 27 9:30 am What’s New at FamilySearch | Explore the latest features and capabilities released on FamilySearch. See the future of FamilySearch. Speaker: Ron Tanner |
| Wednesday, Feb 27 11:00 am Hear Them Sing! Social History and Family Narrative | Discover how addition of social history enhances family narratives and clarifies the songs of our ancestors. She will discuss how to contextualize ancestors’ lives with social history research. Speaker: Rebecca Whitman |
| Wednesday, Feb 27 1:30 pm Uncovering Family Stories with British and Irish Historic Newspapers (Sponsored by Findmypast) | Search the numerous digitized collections of millions of pages of local and national historic newspapers, covering 300 years of history from every county in Britain and Ireland. Speaker: Myko Clelland |
| Wednesday, Feb 27 3:00 pm Connecting Your DNA Matches | Find out to go through your DNA match list and how to use the Shared Matches tool. Learn how to create and employ a number of tools to boost your confidence in your genetic genealogy skills. Speaker: Diahan Southard |
| Wednesday, Feb 27 4:30 pm Wednesday General Session and Opening Event | Explore the connections that come through genealogy. Entertainment will be provided by the world-renowned a cappella group The Edge Effect. Speaker: Steve Rockwood, CEO FamilySearch |
| Thursday, Mar 1 8:30 am Making the Leap-Becoming a Professional Genealogist | Explore how to make a successful transition from hobbyist to a career as a professional. Learn about the importance of diversifying your talents, and discover the ways to earn income as a genealogist. Speakers: Luana Darby, Valerie Elkins, & Anne Teerlink |
| Thursday, Mar 1 9:30 am Finally! German Church Records and How to Use Them on FamilySearch | Explore the German Church records that are now being published on FamilySearch. These are records rich in centuries of history and contain baptisms, marriages, burials, and even confirmations. Speaker: Trish Melander |
| Thursday, Mar 1 11:00 am Thursday General Session | Nobody knows family quite like Emmy award-winning actress Patricia Heaton. Known for her humorous roles as a typical American housewife in big hit television series like Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle. Speaker: Patricia Heaton |
| Thursday, Mar 1 1:30 pm What You Don’t Know about Ancestry (Sponsored by Ancestry) | Preview Ancestry’s cool new tools that are geared to improve and accelerate your family history research. Speaker: Crista Cowan |
| Thursday, Mar 1 3:00 pm “Jumping the Broom,” Oil, Inheritance, and African American Marriage in the South | Explore the tradition of jumping the broom, the informal marriage ceremony for the enslaved. Speaker: Kenyatta Berry |
| Thursday, Mar 1 4:30 pm Perilous Assumptions: Revisiting Those First Finds | Despite the best of intentions, many family history researchers make incorrect assumptions about records that don’t quite fit. Explore false assumptions, revisiting those mistakes, and the family history discoveries that may await. Speaker: Kris Repczynski |
| Friday, Mar 2 8:00 am Why and How to Put Yourself into Your Family History | Explore why putting yourself into your family history is so important. Learn how you can include yourself without getting overwhelmed. Speakers: Curt Witcher, Amy Johnson Crow, & Scott Fisher |
| Friday, Mar 2 9:30 am Essential Considerations for DNA Evidence | Perhaps no one knows the joy that comes from connecting with family better than Saroo Brierley. Saroo will share his remarkable story of how he used technology to reconnect with the land of his childhood and rediscover his family. Speaker: Blaine Bettinger |
| Friday, Mar 2 11:00 am Friday General Session | Perhaps no one knows the joy that comes from connecting with family better than Saroo Brierley. Saroo will share his remarkable story of how he used technology to reconnect with the land of his childhood and rediscover his family. Speaker: Saroo Brierley |
| Friday, Mar 2 1:30 pm Getting the Most Out of Billions of Records on MyHeritage SuperSearch (Sponsored by MyHeritage) | One of the best ways to maximize MyHeritage is to host your tree at MyHeritage, where the systems will automatically help you find new records, fill gaps in your existing tree, and provide matches. Speaker: Mike Mansfield |
| Friday, Mar 2 3:00 pm Discover Your Japanese Ancestors | Learn how to find your Japanese ancestors in Japan. Discover how to obtain your family’s vital records from Japan and climb your family tree. Speaker: Valerie Elkins |
| Friday, Mar 2 4:30 pm The Research Road Map: Your Path to Success | Why having a research plan is more than making a to-do list. See how having a good plan is essential to making progress in your research and making it less frustrating. Speaker: Amy Johnson Crow |
| Saturday, Mar 3 8:00 am Trace the Story of Immigrant Ancestors in 3 Steps | Explore 3 key steps to unlocking the story of your immigrant ancestors with the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society. Speakers: Susan Miller, D. Joshua Taylor, & Frederick Wertz |
| Saturday, Mar 3 9:30 am Examining Your DNA Matches with DNA Painter | DNA Painter is a website that can help interpret and demystify your autosomal DNA results. Using practical examples, Learn how DNA Painter can be used for a variety of activities including chromosome mapping. Speaker: Jonny Perl |
| Saturday, Mar 3 11:00 am Saturday General Session | World renowned ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro will be the keynote speaker. Get ready to hear Jake’s inspiring story, and listen to the one-of-a-kind ukulele musician play the instrument like you’ve never heard it before. Speaker: Jake Shimabukuro |
| Saturday, Mar 3 1:30 pm Leading with Science at 23andMe (Sponsored by 23andMe) | Walk through how research works at 23andMe and how you can contribute to scientific discoveries. Speaker: Sarah Lashkey |
| Saturday, Mar 3 3:00 pm The Silent Language of the Stones: Reading Gravestones through Symbols and Carvings | Symbols and icons have been used on tombstones for centuries, but it was not until the mid-1800s that this secret language on the stones became popular. Explore these symbols and statues that tell stories. Speaker: Joy Neighbors |
*RootsTech 2019 Salt Lake City also has a Virtual Pass for $129 which will allow you to see other select classes on a computer, smartphone, or device at your convenience with playback features.
I’ll post updates about RootsTech to share what I’m learning and seeing but nothing will replace your own firsthand experience, so be sure to visit RootsTech.org and catch a class or two if you’re not able to attend in person.
Want some more freebies? Check out At #RootsTech or #NotAtRootsTech – One Tip You Need and How to Find Free Genealogy Handouts. There’s plenty of great learning you can access from the comfort of your own home. Best in your research!
