“Jewish Genealogy In The British Isles” With Todd Knowles
10 October 2026
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT
Zoom
Sponsored by: International Society for British Genealogy and Family History (ISBGFH)
Click here to register: https://isbgfh.com/event/ask-the-genealogist-todd-knowles-jewish-in-the-british-isles/
British Institute 2026
5-9 October 2026
Scottish Research:
The Fundamentals and Beyond
Presented by Paul Milner, M.Div, FUGA
Explore Newspapers.com for FREE* through Oct. 5
For a limited time, search over a billion pages of historical newspapers completely FREE during the Newspapers.com Free Access event.
It’s easy:
Visit the Newspapers.com Free Access page (via the link in this email).
Start your search from the Free Access page.
Create a free Newspapers.com account—or log in to an existing account.
Trace your ancestors, discover obituaries, uncover family photos, and more!
4th Wednesday: Jewish Genealogy Workshops
Hosted by: The Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Miami
October 28, 2026 @ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Fourth Wednesday of the Month from Noon – 2 p.m. (Ages 19 yrs.+)
Join the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Miami for engaging, interactive workshops that bring Jewish history to life. Each session explores key historical events — such as the Pale of Settlement, shtetl life, pogroms, shifting borders, Zionism, military service and immigration — and how they shaped Jewish ancestry.
For more information, please contact the branch.
305-931-5512
Cuban Gen Club General Meeting
Saturday, October 10, 2026 @ 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm via Zoom
Prospective members and guests are always welcome! If you'd like to attend as a guest, please email secretary@cubangenclub.org
Veteran’s Family Day
November 14, 2026
Hosted by: The Miami-Dade Military Museum - 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Location: Miami-Dade Military Museum @ Zoo Miami
For more information, visit: https://www.miamimilitarymuseum.org/
South Florida Genealogy Fair
October 25, 2026
Hosted by: Genealogical Society of Broward County- 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Location: The Old Davie School
For more information, visit https://gsbcfl.org/eventListings.php?nm=71&fbclid=IwY2xjawUp_vhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mBWJyaWQRMUVDMW9NNEw1dkQ5R1dLMWNzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEePlbsV3mYJF8_8oCxiEymBjMCaoMLLBDM5ii73Rm6Ft2Uign0yfeLX1jNhx0_aem_ybb8-uT9cZOyN408lirq4A
Pinewood Cemetery Invasive Plant Removal
Join Keep Coral Gables Beautiful at the historic Pinewood Cemetery, 7301 Erwin Road, for a morning of community service on Monday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to noon. Volunteers will help remove invasive plants to preserve the beauty and history of this unique site.
As Sept. 21 is a teacher planning day, students and families are encouraged to take part as it is a perfect way to earn volunteer hours while giving back to the environment.
Parking is very limited – carpooling, ridesharing, public transit, or walking is highly encouraged. Conveniently, Bus #37 stops at the corner of the cemetery entrance from the South Miami Metro Station.
Please bring a reusable water bottle (water cooler available for refills), hat, sunblock, and long sleeves and pants - recommended, as oyster plants can cause skin irritation.
All event supplies will be provided by KCGB.
Presented by Keep Coral Gables Beautiful, the Historical Resources & Cultural Arts Department, and Greenspace Management.
Volunteer hours are available upon request.
https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/a533c8feac9e4a2496766fa171521f3e
Two Virtual Hispanic Genealogy Programs This September
Tuesday, September 22
Mi Gente Estuvo Aquí También: Beginning Hispanic Genealogy with Confidence
Hosted virtually by the Public Library of New London, Connecticut
If you've been wanting to research your Hispanic family history but aren't quite sure where to begin, this program is a great place to start.
We'll talk about some of the records, resources, naming traditions, and research strategies that can help you begin uncovering your family's story with greater confidence.
📅 Tuesday, September 22
💻 Virtual Program
👉 Register / Event Information:
https://plnl.libcal.com/event/16841699?k=db65f2e89050967daa005080af463a11
Friday, September 26
Mi Gente Estuvo Aquí También: Hispanic Connections to the American Revolution
Hosted virtually by the Plainfield Public Library, New Jersey
This is one of my newest programs!
Hispanic participation in the American Revolution is often overlooked. In this presentation, we'll explore the connections between Spain, its colonies, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and the fight for American independence, while also looking at how genealogy and historical records can help us uncover these stories.
📅 September 26
🕥 10:30 AM–12:00 PM
💻 Virtual Program — Registration Required
👉 Register / Event Information:
https://plainfieldnj.librarycalendar.com/index.php/event/PPLHist202609
Support for “Save Our National Archives” – San Bruno and Chicago Regions By: Claire Kluskens, JD, senior digital projects archivist at the National Archives, Washington, DC
On 24 August 2026, Representative Kevin Mullin held a press conference about NARA’s proposed closure of its San Bruno, California, facility. In addition, 37 Members of Congress, including several from the Midwest, signed a joint letter to NARA about their concerns that closure of the facility would result in an undue burden (restriction) to public access to the records, potentially result in loss of dedicated knowledgeable public servants who have provided reference services on these records, and risk damage or even destruction to the records. Meanwhile, in an undated 2026 post entitled “Researcher Updates” NARA outlined where it plans to move records from the San Bruno and Chicago Regional Archives.
What can you do? Email (or better yet, write and call) your Congressman and Senators about your opposition to NARA closing public research facilities at San Bruno and Chicago. Find information and talking points here: https://www.saveournationalarchives.org/take-action.
Confirmation of Bradford P. Wilson as 12th Archivist of the United States
On 7 August 2026, the U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of Bradford P. Wilson to be the 12th Archivist of the United States (AOTUS). On 21 August 2026, AOTUS Wilson sent the following message to NARA employees:
Greetings to all. As you may have heard, I was nominated by President Donald J. Trump and am now sworn in as the 12th Archivist of the United States. Though I am not a stranger to Senate-confirmed positions, I am especially honored and humbled by this appointment. As with the institutions and programs I have been fortunate to lead, I shall be laser-focused on serving the governing mission of NARA. Put simply, NARA’s mission is to serve the American people as our nation’s record keepers. The great historian, David McCullough, referred to the collected records of the National Archives as “one of the wonders of our country, the richest, most enthralling documentation we have as a nation of who we are, what we have achieved, our adventures, and what we stand for.” As such, it is imperative that those records be made available to the American people, to whom they belong. Acquisition, preservation, and organization of our nation’s records, so as to provide access to the American public, researchers, and our government, are the heart of NARA’s activities.
And your talents, experience, expertise, and commitment to your craft are the reason that Americans continue to have affection for the place of the National Archives in American government and culture. I know that our agency is beset with great challenges in achieving its goals. That should only add to our sense of common purpose and inspire us to do our very best, together, to meet those challenges.
I’ll spare you my thoughts on leadership, which I’ll daily attempt to illustrate by my actions. I’d rather begin by learning about the work you do and its relation to the statutory mission of NARA, which by law we must take as our guide. I look forward to working with you to move NARA to a new level of excellence.
Sincerely,
Bradford Wilson
It’s a reasonable sounding statement of support for preservation and access to federal records, but, as the saying goes, the proof will be in the pudding. The statutory missions of agencies are never spelled out in granular detail in Acts of Congress. See, for example, the National Archives and Records Administration Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-497). Additional guidance is given by federal laws applicable to all or most federal agencies as well as duly promulgated federal regulations, such as those for NARA, or applicable to all or most federal agencies. What is the concept for moving NARA to “a new level of excellence”?What can you do? Pay attention to NARA press releases and social media posts from reputable sources, such as APG (https://www.facebook.com/AssociationofProfessionalGenealogists), NGS (https://www.facebook.com/ngsgenealogy), and others.
NARA Proposal to Destroy Federal Civilian Official Personnel Files after 65 Years
On 10 July 2026, NARA posted a proposed change in the retention period for federal civilian employee Official Personnel Folders (OPFs) – posted on Regulations.gov as DAA-GRS-2026-0001 General Records Schedules National Archives and Records Administration General Records Schedule 2-2 – Employee Management Records Revision) (https://www.regulations.gov/document/NARA-26-0331-0008). Unfortunately, the public comment period ended 24 August 2026.
Federal civilian Official Personnel Folders (OPFs) can contain valuable genealogical information about a person’s government employment. Today, many OPFs for employees who left federal service before 1952 are archived at NARA. Later files generally remain under OPM control and are much harder to access. The 1952 cutoff was created for administrative purposes, not because the records on either side of that date have different historical value.
In 2025, NARA proposed making OPFs for employees separated through 31 December 1973 permanent records, but this schedule has apparently not yet been approved. The National Genealogical Society and the Records Preservation and Access Coalition (RPAC) support that proposal and call on NARA to sign that record schedule. RPAC seeks to:
• Preserve pre-1974 OPFs permanently.
• Make all employment years consistent with pre-1974 policy.
• Replace the arbitrary 1952 access cutoff with a rolling transfer of older civilian personnel files to NARA.
This is simple: federal civilian personnel files should become more accessible as they age—not disappear.
What can you do? Although the public comment period is over, the fight to preserve these records will not end. Email (or better yet, write and call) your Congressman and Senators about your opposition to NARA destroying federal civilian Official Personnel Files. Tell Congress that OPFs dated after 1952 have as much historical value as earlier dated records. Tell Congress why these records are meaningful to you.
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and Research Latino Roots
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and Get Resources for Research
The National Genealogical Society (NGS) is pleased to join the celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, 15 September–15 October, honoring the "histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America."
Visit the UpFront with NGS blog to learn more about the history of this month and discover some of the genealogical websites and databases that can help you start or continue exploring Hispanic/Latino roots. We hope the resources shared in the blog post will be useful to those building their family tree.
https://upfront.ngsgenealogy.org/2026/09/hispanic-heritage-month-2026-resources.html
Aviation in Miami
September 23
Explore the history of aviation in Miami. Learn about some of aviation’s iconic figures from Amelia Earhart to Bessie Coleman and Glenn Curtiss. Reflect upon the site of the former Pan American Seaplane Terminal – today’s Miami City Hall – and hear stories of naval aviation and flying boats in Dinner Key.
https://museumofmiami.org/event/history-talks-virtual-hurricanes-2/
Learn about other talks here: https://museumofmiami.org/learn/history-talks/
The 90th Anniversary Celebration of The Miami Pioneers Historical Society
Saturday, October 10 at 2pm
Everyone is invited to attend the 90th anniversary celebration of the founding of the Miami Pioneer Historical Society -- on October 1, 1936 -- by prominent settlers who struggled to carve a modern city from a tropical wilderness in the late 19th century.
Casey Piket will present a look back at Miami in the year 1936, and present short biographies of the original fourteen founding members of this historical society.
Do you have something to share about South Florida’s pioneer era? Did your family arrive in the early days? Do you have stories to tell, old pictures to share, or some insight into the historical eras of yesteryear? We hope you can join us and we want to hear from you.
Learn more…
https://www.mpnod.org/events/mpnod-sat-oct-10-miami-pioneers-90th-anniversary/
Books & Books: State of War | An Evening Lecture with Anthony D. Atwood
Join us with the founder of the Miami-Dade Military Museum and Memorial, Anthony D. Atwood, in an evening lecture for the release of his debut book, State of War (University Press of Florida, $28),...
Date: Fri, 7/10/2026
Time: 7:00pm
Place:
Books & Books Coral Gables
265 Aragon Ave
Coral Gables, FL 33134-5008
RSVP Here: https://shop.booksandbooks.com/event/2026-07-10/state-war-evening-lecture-anthony-d-atwood
Deering Estate: MIAMI short FILM FESTIVAL: Focus On Celebrating Our Nation’s 250th Birthday
MIAMI short FILM FESTIVAL Focus On Series
Jul 12 2026
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
$16-$20
Deering Estate Visitor Center, 16701 SW 72nd Avenue, Palmetto Bay Fl 33157
Buy tickets here: https://deeringestate.org/events/miami-short-film-festival/
GRIP Evening Sessions - This Week
Everyone is invited to join the GRIP Evening Sessions. Learn more about the National Archives and New York Genealogical & Biographical Society.
These sessions are free but do require registration. Register for one or all of the following.
Wednesday – Marisa Louie Lee presenting on NARA –
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/8Vcdzb5OTZCttME6cMiS5w
Thursday – Josh Taylor from NYG&B –
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ezDgBMGqTkayzJ8f846yvA
AD250: Share Your American Dream
On July 4, 2026, the United States will mark 250 years of independence. To commemorate this historic moment, PBS stations and American Public Television will present AMERIGO — a documentary exploring the meaning of the American Dream through the voices of everyday Americans.
While creating the film, the team traveled to all 50 states, recording more than 1,000 conversations with people across the country. Now, we’re inviting you to join the national conversation around America 250.
Share your hope for the American Dream by recording a short video and adding your voice.
Miami-Dade America250 Events Calendar
Miami-Dade America 250 events calendar
https://www.miamidade.gov/sites/initiative/miami-dade250/calendar.page
Miami-Dade 250 Time Capsule Installation and America 250 Patriot Marker Unveiling Ceremony
You are cordially invited to join Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Chairman Anthony Rodriguez, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Anthony R. Abraham Foundation for the official Miami-Dade 250 Time Capsule Installation and America 250 Patriot Marker Unveiling Ceremony commemorating America’s 250th anniversary.
The Miami-Dade 250 Time Capsule will remain sealed until our nation’s tricentennial in 2076, preserving the stories, achievements, and cultural spirit of our community for future generations.
The America 250 Patriot Marker was made possible through the generous support and partnership of the Biscayne, Coral Gables, and Everglades/John MacDonald Chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Anthony R. Abraham Foundation. The marker will honor those patriots who achieved American independence during the Revolutionary War.
Date: Monday, June 29, 2026
Time: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Location: Tropical Park (Shelter 11), 7900 SW 40th Street, Miami, Florida
To RSVP, please email miamidade250@miamidade.gov
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