Uncover Your Family's Story in Historical Newspapers!

Course Type: Rebroadcast

July 21, 2026 7PM - 9PM ET

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.

How You’ll Benefit

Major digitized historical newspaper websites: Learn to effectively search and utilize the biggest online collections.
Present-day newspapers: Discover how contemporary news sources can also aid your research.
Abstracts and microfilmed issues: Understand how to leverage these valuable, often overlooked, formats.
Bound backfiles and clippings files: Explore physical archives for unique finds.
Expert Guidance: Learn directly from a renowned genealogy professional.
Practical Handouts: Access downloadable resources to enhance your learning.
PLUS - Registrants receive the digital Historical Newspapers Cheat Sheet($9.99 value) FREE

Rebroadcasts

Find Your Canadian Roots: A Beginner's Guide to Online Research - September 2026

Heritage Headlines: Strategies for Tracing Your Roots in Newspaper - July 2026