Inaugural Salem Ancestry Days 2021 Recap: Save the Date for 2022!
Thank you for joining us during the first annual Salem Ancestry Days! Held in celebration of ancestral and immigrant connections to Salem, this first annual event included informative talks on how to access local ancestry records, plus walking tours based on some of Salem’s historic families, cemetery tours and cleanups, ancestral bingo, Indigenous acknowledgements and programming, a meetup of Conant ancestors, and more.
Keep reading to relive this year’s Salem Ancestry Days, and save the date for next year: April 29-May 2, 2022!
Discovering Your Salem Ancestry: How to Access Genealogical Records
The first day of 2021’s Salem Ancestry Days kicked off with programming by Essex Heritage, Discovering Your Salem Ancestry: How to Access Genealogical Records. The virtual event featured a panel led by Essex Heritage and featuring an introduction to Salem Ancestry Days followed by informational talks on beginning your Salem ancestry research with the Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum, American Ancestors and New England Historic Genealogical Society, and the Southern Essex County Registry of Deeds.
Annawon Weeden Virtual Talk
Pioneer Village and The Witch House hosted a virtual talk with Annawon Weeden of the Mashpee-Wampanoag and Naragansett Tribes. Also during Salem Ancestry Days, members of the Massachusett Tribe participated in an Indigenous Land Acknowledgement. For more information on Indigenous history and ancestry in Salem, we recommend watching the additional lectures that have been recorded for Pioneer Village’s website.
Southern Essex County Registry of Deeds
The Southern Essex County Registry of Deeds is a great place to work on ancestry research with records ranging from 1640 to the present. In addition to serving as part of the panel during Essex Heritage’s kick-off event, the Registry also shared with us the above video outlining what’s available for researchers in their collection.
The Photo Detective and Storyteller
Shalom/Salem: Archival Stories from Salem’s Jewish Community
American Ancestors and New England Historic Genealogical Society hosted a virtual lecture focusing on archival stories from Salem’s Jewish community. During the event, viewers were able to learn about the families, businesses, and synagogues that make up Salem’s Jewish history through the lens of the archival collections at the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center at New England Historic Genealogical Society. Associate Director of Archives and Education Stephanie Call also showcased photographs and ephemera that highlight the contributions of the city’s Jewish community.
Click here for a list of resources to begin your Salem ancestry research all year long, and be sure to join us during next year’s event!
