[Genealib] Southern California Genealogy Jamboree

[Paula Hinkel]

Southern California Genealogy Jamboree
Friday through Sunday, June 27-29, 2008
Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel and Convention Center
2500 Hollywood Way, Burbank

There's no time like the present to explore your family's past.  And that's
just what hundreds of family history researchers will be doing at the 39th
Annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree, June 27-29, 2008, at the
Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel and Convention Center in Burbank.

According Jamboree Chairman Leo Myers, "Over the years, our conference has
grown to be one of the largest genealogy events in the U.S.  It's an
entertaining and educational weekend; and we have people coming from across
the US and even Europe to hear the lectures, participate in the activities,
and visit the exhibitors."

Event co-chairman Paula Hinkel explained, "In addition to offering a wide
variety of classes and speakers, we do our best to make this fun for family
members from all generations."  This year's event features a free Kids
Genealogy Camp, a free introductory session for members of the general
public, and a private guided tour of Hollywood Forever Cemetery.  

To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first German
immigrants to Jamestown Colony, Jamboree's ethnic focus will feature German,
Eastern European and Jewish ancestry.  Oom-pah-pah music will greet everyone
during Friday evening's welcome reception; and the Guild of St. Michael's, a
troupe of 16th century German mercenaries from the Renaissance Pleasure
Faire, will be setting up camp Saturday morning.

Lectures will cover a wide variety of topics of interest to family
researchers.  Several sessions will address the use of DNA in identifying
ancestors, while others will be concerned with black sheep and family
secrets.  Featured will be former diplomat Peter Landé’s session on how to
access over 55 million WWII-era Holocaust records that have been released to
researchers for the first time in over 60 years.  In addition to the general
lecture presentations, Sunday features a special track for Jewish research
topics.

"You don't need to be a genealogist to attend this conference," Myers
explained. "Just be interested in exploring your family's history."  With
over 80 lectures, participants will be sure to find sessions that will be
interesting and useful.  Topics include military, church, immigration,
census, vital records, and tips on finding records in many states as well as
in Germany and Eastern Europe.  How-to sessions will be offered for several
genealogy software packages, Internet sites, and electronic equipment and
gadgets.  The speaker list reads like a who's who of genealogy.

Special presentations will accompany Jamboree's breakfasts and dinners.
Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak will present "The Search for the Real Annie Moore"
at Friday Night's banquet.  Smolenyak's research revealed the slave owner /
slave relationships between the families of Rev. Al Sharpton and Strom
Thurmond.  Her account of the search for Annie Moore, the first arrival at
Ellis Island, is truly heartwarming and inspiring.

Newsletter author and blogger Dick Eastman will discuss the use of
genealogical information to identify family health issues during Saturday
night's dinner presentation.  Sunday's breakfast will feature "Presidential
Pedigrees" by Christopher Child and Gary Boyd Roberts of the New England
Historic Genealogical Society.  Child and Roberts made the news recently
when the researchers announced the intertwined family relationships between
Hillary Rodham Clinton and Angeline Jolie, and Barak Obama and Brad Pitt.

A special Blogger Summit Panel Discussion will review the nearly immediate
dissemination of information, and the affect on the corporations and family
historians who use the products, services and information databases provided
by these companies.  A "Small, Small World" session will provide
individualized assistance to researchers who are researching The Old Country
or various ethnicities.

Nearly 60 exhibitors will be selling books, software and products to assist
the family historian.  Area genealogical societies, lineage societies and
other organizations will be in attendance.  Vendors will answer questions,
provide repair services for vintage photographs, and print decorative family
pedigree charts while you wait.

For those of you attending the ALA meeting in Anaheim, remember that Burbank
is just a short jaunt up the I-5 freeway.  

Per-day and weekend prices are available.  Discounts are offered for
registration by May 1 and for members of the Southern California
Genealogical Society.  Register online at www.scgsgenealogy.com, by mail, or
by phone at 818.843.7247.   Call to request one or more copies of the
Jamboree program for details on the lectures and speakers.