Tragically, thousands of irreplaceable records are destroyed every day. But around the world, heroic efforts are being made to preserve them, including the struggle to reconstruct genealogies destroyed in the Bolshevik Revolution, the massive microfilming efforts of the National Archives, and the work of Steven Spielberg s Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation. Journals, diaries, letters, photographs and even family Bibles not only provide names and dates, they bring our ancestors to life. Travel with Sheila to China where she discovers the fate of these important records. Experts identify various compiled records and tell how they can be a helpful starting point in family history research.
Experts elaborate on how to use computers and the Internet in seeking out family connections.
When Jeff Gallup s grandparents died, he felt he had lost his only connection to his Sicilian roots, until he took his mother back to Italy. Searching for their ancestors birth and marriage records in the village of Piana, Jeff and his mother reconnect with their Italian heritage. Experts explain how vital records create an important link between generations. Experts and clergy highlight various religious records and tell how to determine an ancestor s religious affiliation. The family didn t even know where he was buried.