January 2012

On January 31, 1919, baseball player Jackie Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia. Robinson broke the baseball color barrier when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, becoming the first black Major League Baseball player. Jackie Robinson is not yet connected to Geni’s World Family Tree. Check out his profile and help connect him to over 61 million profiles on Geni!   View Jackie Robinson’s Geni Profile  

Check out some great links from the past week! The Genealogy Sphere There’s no place like home…for 100 years: Centenarian lives in the house where she was born (and these days it has running water and electricity) (Daily Mail) – A woman lives in the same cottage for 100 years 8 Ways to Avoid Barking Up the Wrong Family Tree (About.com) – Genealogist Kimberly Powell offers great advice about how to avoid those wrong turns… Read the full story

Today, we highlight Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. Specializing in modern architecture, Niemeyer was a pioneer in exploring the formal possibilities of reinforced concrete solely for their aesthetic impact. In 1988, Niemeyer was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the most prestigious award in architecture, for the Cathedral of Brasília. Oscar Niemeyer is connected to over 61 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Oscar Niemeyer’s Geni Profile  

In anticipation of the new season of the television show Who Do You Think You Are?, we’re highlighting the Who Do You Think You Are? project on Geni! Originating in the U.K., the popular celebrity genealogy series has spawned several international adaptations of the show. Season 3 of the U.S. version premieres next week on February 3 with an all new episode featuring actor Martin Sheen. The project aims to gather all the celebrities who have appeared… Read the full story

On January 27, 1850, Captain Edward Smith was born. He was an English naval reserve officer and captain of the RMS Titanic. He died when the ship sank in 1912. This year will mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Have you checked out the RMS Titanic project on Geni? Take a look and become a project collaborator to help identify and list the survivors and casualties of the sinking of the Titanic. Perhaps… Read the full story

On January 26, 1958, comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres was born in Metairie, Louisiana. DeGeneres is beloved by children as the voice of Dory in the Pixar film Finding Nemo. She has won thirteen Emmy awards and numerous other awards for her work and charitable efforts. Ellen DeGeneres is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Ellen DeGeneres’s Geni Profile  

RootsTech‘s annual conference in Salt Lake City, Utah is just around the corner. This one of a kind genealogy conference brings techies and genealogists together to discover new technologies in family history research. RootsTech will be held from February 2 – 4, 2012. Several Geni team members will be in attendance and we can’t wait to meet all of you, so be sure to head on over to our booth to say hi! If your… Read the full story

On January 25, 1882, English author Virginia Woolf was born. She is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in modernist literature and one of the greatest innovators of the English language. Her most famous novels include Mrs. Dalloway, The Lighthouse and Orlando. Virginia Woolf is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Virginia Woolf’s Geni Profile  

Early this morning, the 2012 Academy Award nominations were announced. Breaking her previous record, actress Meryl Streep received her 17th Oscar nomination with her nod for Best Actress, thus making her the most-nominated actor in history. Streep is nominated for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher, the first woman to be elected Prime Minister of the UK, in the film The Iron Lady. Meryl Streep is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family… Read the full story

Today, January 23 is Chinese New Year! One of the most important traditional Chinese holidays, Chinese New Year marks the start of the Lunar New Year. According to the Chinese zodiac, 2012 is the Year of the Dragon, which symbolizes power, strength and good luck. In addition to Mainland China and Hong Kong, Chinese New Year is celebrated in many countries and territories with significant Chinese populations, including Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Mayasia, and Chinatowns throughout the… Read the full story

Catch up on some genealogy articles by checking out the links below. The Genealogy Sphere Cause of Death – Benzol Poisoning (Adventures in Genealogy) – Genealogy blogger Deb Ruth finds cause of death in an old newspaper article Early African American Newspapers, Tell So Much (My Ancestor’s Name) – Genealogist Angela Walton-Raji discusses early African-American newspapers in genealogy GenealogyBank Adds Irish Vital Records to Historical Newspaper Archive (GenealogyBank) – Irish vital records found in old… Read the full story

On January 23, 1944, Norwegian painter Edvard Munch died at the age of 80. An important pioneer of the Expressionist movement, Munch is perhaps best known for his painting, The Scream, which acquired an iconic status in popular culture during the late twentieth century. Edvard Munch is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Edvard Munch’s Geni Profile  

Record Search We’ve made it even easier to search for records from Archives.com, Find A Grave and GenealogyBank on Geni. You can discover even more about your relatives by entering more information for more accurate search results. To start your search, simply click on the Research tab at the top of the page and select Record Search. Enter in your relative’s name, birth surname, location and birth/death dates and click Search Results to start searching… Read the full story

Today we remember blues singer Etta James, who passed away early this morning at the age of 73. The “At Last” singer died from complications from leukemia. James powerhouse voice is regarded by many as having bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll. She’s won six Grammy Awards and in 1993, she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. James’s music has inspired a wide variety of musicians… Read the full story

Yesterday marked the 108th anniversary of Cary Grant‘s birth. Grant was born Archibald Alexander Leach in Bristol, England in 1904. Before gaining fame as one of Hollywood’s classic leading men, Grant joined a circus troupe and performed as a stilt walker, acrobat, juggler and mime. Today, he is remembered as one of the greatest stars of all time. What’s your favorite Cary Grant film? Cary Grant is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s… Read the full story

Did you know that school districts take a census each year to determine the state’s allocation of funds to each district? Many of these documents have been digitized online and if you’re researching your family tree, it may be worth while to trace down your ancestors in the school census records. You may find lots of valuable genealogical information to help build your family tree. What can I find in school census records?  Names of… Read the full story

On January 19, 1943, American singer and songwriter Janis Joplin was born in Port Arthur, Texas. Known for her powerful and original voice, Joplin rose to fame in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist. Some of her greatest hits include, “Me and Bobby McGee,” “Mercedes Benz” and “Try (Just a Little Bit Harder).” Sadly, Joplin’s life was cut short after succumbing to… Read the full story

Today the U.S. observes Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which commemorates what would have been the civil rights icon’s birthday 83rd birthday. Are you working on your family tree during the holiday? Take a minute to check out some pretty interesting genealogy related articles from the past week. The Genealogy Sphere Frankie Meyer: Quaker history reveals hidden genealogy (The Joplin Globe) – Journal entries lead a genealogist to discover new information about his family Family… Read the full story

Today, January 16, is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the U.S. Observed on the third Monday of January each year, the holiday honors iconic civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. King was the leading activist for nonviolent protest against racial discrimination during the United States Civil Rights Movement. His leadership was fundamental to the movement’s success and inspired others to continue his work for many years to come. In 1964, he received the Nobel Peace Prize… Read the full story

Today we highlight actor Mark Wahlberg, whose new movie Contraband opens today in the U.S. Wahlberg transformed his career from rapper to an Academy Award nominated actor. Did you know that Wahlberg is the youngest of nine children? Mark Wahlberg is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Mark Wahlberg’s Geni Profile  

On January 11, 1757, economist Alexander Hamilton was born. Hamilton was a Founding Father of the United States and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury. In 1776, Hamilton signed the Declaration of Independence. He also co-wrote the Federalist Papers, a series of articles promoting the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Alexander Hamilton is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Alexander Hamilton’s Geni Profile… Read the full story

On January 10, 1869, mystic Grigori Rasputin was born. Rasputin held the prominent role of adviser to the Romanov family in Russia. He soon became a controversial figure due to his dissolute lifestyle and dominance over the royal family. In 1916, Rasputin was killed by a group of nobles who believed his influence over the Romanov family was a great threat to the empire.   View Grigori Rasputin’s Geni Profile

Here are this week’s links: The Genealogy Sphere Be Careful in Your Assumptions (Thoughts from Polly’s Granddaughter) – Don’t assume you know all the facts! What Can I do to Restore an Old Photo? (Family Search) – Great tips on how to restore old photographs Searching Mexico’s census for clues about American history (CNN) – Actor Edward James Olmos talks about genealogy in the Latin community and the digitization of the 1930 Mexican census Indigenous… Read the full story

Today we highlight Austrian-American actress Hedy Lamarr. A celebrated star of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Lamarr is best remembered as the star of Cecil B. DeMille‘s epic Samson and Delilah. It is perhaps less well known that this glamorous actress co-invented an early technique for spread spectrum communications and frequency hoping, which forms the basis for wireless communication today. In 1941, Lamarr and composer George Antheil received a patent for a Secret Communication System. Their invention would eventually lead… Read the full story

On January 6, 1960, food writer and television personality Nigella Lawson was born. Lawson is best known for her best-selling cookbooks and various cooking programs and specials on television. Nigella Lawson is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Nigella Lawson’s Geni Profile  

Today we remember Sonny Bono, who died January 5, 1998 in a tragic skiing accident. Bono is best remembered for his singing career alongside his then wife Cher. He wrote and produced some of their greatest hits, including “I Got You Babe” and “The Beat Goes On.” Bono entered politics in the late 1980’s when he successfully ran for mayor of Palm Springs, California. In 1994, Bono was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives…. Read the full story

Since many of you found our list of 2011 genealogy conferences helpful last year, we thought it would be great to offer up our list for 2012. Below you’ll find a list of genealogy conferences in the U.S. for the coming year, with more to be added as the dates become available. Conferences in bold are those that will be attended by Geni. By no means is this list comprehensive, so if you know of any additional… Read the full story

On January 4, 1785, jurist and writer Jacob Grimm was born. Along with his brother Wilhelm, the Brothers Grimm embarked on a project to compile a written collection of oral folktales. This important collection was later published as the Grimm’s Fairy Tales, which included such classics as “Hansel and Gretel,” “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Snow White.” What’s your favorite Grimm fairy tale? Jacob Grimm is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree…. Read the full story

We hope everyone had a great holiday and a happy new year! Here’s a recap of what you may have missed in the world of genealogy over the last couple of weeks. The Genealogy Sphere Seeking Kin: An Israeli finds his American cousins (JTA) – An Israeli man is reunited with his American cousins through genealogy Take research beyond names, dates and maps (Tampa Bay Online) – Suggestions on how to put your ancestors into… Read the full story

On January 3, 1793, Lucretia Mott, an early proponent of the women’s rights movement, was born in Nantucket, Massachusetts. She was an ardent anti-slavery activist and participated in several public lectures in support of the anti-slavery movement. In 1848, Mott and fellow abolitionist Elizabeth Cady Stanton organized the Seneca Falls Convention, the first women’s rights convention of its kind to be held in the United States. Lucretia Mott is connected to over 60 million profiles… Read the full story