Author: Amanda

The United States Census Bureau has created this amazing map that details the movement of the country’s mean center of population over the last 220 years. The data is from the U.S. census records from 1790 – 2010. What is the mean center of population? According the the U.S. Census Bureau, the mean center of population is “the point at which an imaginary, flat weightless, and rigid map of the United States would balance if… Read the full story

Fifty years ago today, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law in a nationally televised ceremony at the White House. Hundreds of guests were invited to the historic signing, including civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. During his presidency, President John F. Kennedy fought for a strong civil rights bill to give all Americans equal rights and opportunities. Five days after Kennedy’s assassination, President Johnson urged lawmakers “to… Read the full story

It is always rewarding when we can introduce younger generations to the wonders of genealogy. Fostering that early interest in one’s family history is essential to preserving the stories of our family heritage. For the last few months, the history class of West Valley Middle School in Knoxville, Tennessee have been using Geni and our sister site WorldVitalRecords for their family history project. Spearheaded by their teacher, John Martin, this budding group of genealogists used Geni… Read the full story

Check out these articles from around the web! Image: The 7 Deadliest Fashion Trends of All Time / io9.com The Genealogy Sphere Geni.com Relaxes Privacy Rules – A Good Thing (Genea-Musings Blog) – Geneablogger Randy Seaver gives his favorable opinion about Geni’s upcoming privacy changes The 7 Deadliest Fashion Trends of All Time (io9.com) – These dangerous fashion trends of our ancestors may have had some deadly consequences The Advantages of Working with a One… Read the full story

Seventy-eight years ago today, Margaret Mitchell published her beloved novel Gone with the Wind. The book was an instant hit, topping the American fiction bestseller list in its first two years of publication. Only a year after publishing her first novel, Mitchell received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Her story continued to thrive when it was adapted into a film in 1939. The movie, starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable, would prove to be a… Read the full story

On June 26, 1844, President John Tyler became the first president to marry while in office. At the age of 54, he married for the second time to 24-year-old Julia Gardiner. His first wife, with whom he had 8 children, died of a stroke two years earlier. The couple’s road to marriage began with an unfortunate tragedy and narrow escape. Julia, her sister and her father had joined a presidential excursion on the new steam… Read the full story

Today we remember Michael Jackson, who died on this day in 2009 at the age of 50. Even though five years have passed since his death, the King of Pop’s legacy continues to remain very much alive. Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana on August 29, 1958. At the age of 5, he began performing with is older brothers as a member of The Jackson 5. In 1971, he embarked on his solo career and… Read the full story

On June 24, 1509, Henry VIII was crowned the king of England at the age of 17. Shortly before his coronation, Henry married Catherine of Aragon, his older brother’s widow, in a private ceremony at Greenwich Church. Henry ruled over England for 38 years, bringing significant changes to the English Constitution and the establishment of the Church of England as a separate entity from the Roman Catholic Church. Despite the historical significance of many of… Read the full story

Kickstart your week with this interesting articles from around the web! Image: Lost First World War bracelet returned to Arthur Erickson’s family / CBC The Genealogy Sphere 10 Dangerous Ways to Amuse Yourself from an 1820 Book (Mental Floss) – How times have changed! This 1820 book lists some crazy and very dangerous ways to amuse yourself in your spare time. Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes (BBC News) – For 75 years Finland’s… Read the full story

Today Spain has a new king. Felipe VI was officially sworn in as the new king of Spain at the Spanish parliament Thursday morning, following the abdication of his father, Juan Carlos. Felipe was born in Madrid, Spain on January 30, 1968. Like several members of his family, Felipe was an Olympic athlete. He competed as a member of the Spanish Olympic sailing team in 1992. In 2004, he married former CNN journalist Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano…. Read the full story

On this day in 1885, the Statue of Liberty, America’s iconic symbol of freedom and independence, arrived in New York Harbor in Manhattan, New York after a long voyage across the Atlantic. Over two hundred thousand people lined the docks and boarded hundreds of boats to welcome the French steamer Isère and catch a glimpse of the copper and iron statue. The statue was shipped disassembled in over 300 individual pieces and packed in over 200… Read the full story

On June 17, 1579, during his attempt to circumnavigate the globe, English privateer Sir Francis Drake landed of the coast on what is today California and claimed it for England. Named “Nova Albion” by Drake, the land was one of the earliest English territorial claims in the New World. In 1581, he was awarded a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth I. The precise location of Nova Albion was carefully guarded to keep it a secret from… Read the full story

We hope everyone had a great Father’s Day weekend! Here’s a few articles to kickstart your week. Image: Returned photos reveal a father never known, 50-year-old promise kept / Stripes.com The Genealogy Sphere The world’s largest family reunion…we’re all invited! (TED) – Check out author AJ Jacobs’s entertaining TED talk about the Global Family Reunion Eight decades in the wrong grave: Mac map collection helps solve family mystery (TheSpec.com) – A man solves a family… Read the full story

Do you remember watching Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho? On June 16, 1960, the classic horror film made its premiere in New York City. Starring Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins, the film is considered one of Hitchcock’s best and has become one of the most recognizable films in cinema history. With surprising plot twists and carefully framed scenes, the film broke from traditional conventions of movie making to terrify audiences for years to come. Did Hitchcock’s classic… Read the full story

This Sunday, June 15, the U.S. celebrates Father’s Day in honor of fathers, grandfathers and other paternal figures in our lives. Throughout the country, families take advantage of the approaching summer weather by celebrating with outdoor activities and barbecues. Inspired by Mother’s Day, the popular holiday to honor motherhood, Father’s Day was celebrated for decades before officially being recognized as a federal holiday. In 1910 Spokane, Washington, Sonora Smart Dodd sought to honor her father… Read the full story

Are you a fan of Westerns? Today we remember John Wayne, who died on June 11, 1979 at the age of 72. One of the top box office draws for three decades, Wayne continues to endure as one of America’s greatest cultural icons. He was born Marion Robert Morrison in Winterset, Iowa on May 26, 1907. His middle name was soon changed to Mitchell when his parents decided to name their next son Robert. The… Read the full story

We had a great time at the 45th annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree in Burbank, California this weekend. Each year, we can always count on Jamboree to be an enjoyable experience. We were thrilled to see old friends, meet users and introduce some first timers to Geni’s world of collaborative genealogy. Here’s a picture of the MyHeritage/Geni booth before the expo hall was opened. On Friday, we were joined by Geni Curator Randy Schoenberg. He… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Johnny Depp! Today the Pirates of the Caribbean star tuns 51. He was born John Christopher Depp II in Owensboro, Kentucky in 1963 to parents John and Betty Sue Depp. Johnny got his big break on the television series 21 Jump Street and since then, he’s shaped his highly successful career with numerous challenging and versatile roles. Some of his most memorable films include Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hallow and the box office smashing Pirates of the… Read the full story

Seventy years ago, thousands of Allied soldiers stormed the beaches of Normandy in an offensive that would help lead to the defeat of the Third Reich and the end of World War II in Europe. One brave soldier present that day was Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., the eldest son of President Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt was the only general on D-Day to land by sea with the first wave of troops with the aid of a cane and… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Mark Wahlberg! Today the Academy Award nominee turns 43. He was born Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg in Dorchester, Massachusetts and is the youngest of nine children. His first experience with fame came when his older brother Donnie found success as a member of the boyband New Kids on the Block. Soon he began recording music as Marky Mark, headlining the group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. Mark successfully transformed his career from… Read the full story

Happy birthday, Angelina Jolie! Today the award winning star turns 39. She’s currently staring in Maleficent, a re-imagining of Disney’s classic Sleeping Beauty villain. Did you know that her daughter Vivienne plays a young Aurora in the movie? Many of the young children on set were so scared of Angelina’s portrayal of Maleficent that they were unable to perform the scene. Because of her physical resemblance to the character, and being the only child not afraid of… Read the full story

We’re excited to attend the 45th annual Southern California Genealogy Jamboree taking place this week from June 6 – 8 in Burbank, California! The theme to this year’s Jamboree is Golden Memories: Discovering Your Family History. And this year’s heritage focus will be on European ancestors. If you’re planning to attend, come see the MyHeritage and Geni teams at booth #308. We love meeting users, so be sure to stop by and say hi! MyHeritage… Read the full story

On June 3, 1937, the duke of Windsor married Wallis Simpson at the Château de Candé in France. Only a few months earlier, the Duke abdicated the British throne after news of the couple’s engagement threatened to cause a constitutional crisis early in his reign. Edward was born in 1896 and was the eldest son of King George V. Upon his father’s death, he succeeded to the throne and proclaimed his intent to marry Wallis. The British… Read the full story

Catch up on some family history news with these articles from around the web! Image: Melting glaciers in northern Italy reveal corpses of WW1 soldiers / The Telegraph The Genealogy Sphere Here’s How People 100 Years Ago Thought We’d Be Living Today (Wired) – Check out these vintage postcards of how people thought we’d be living today D-Day remembered: Striking then-and-now photographs that capture how northern France was devastated 70 years ago – and how… Read the full story

Farewell, Alice. Yesterday, June 1, actress Ann B. Davis died at the age of 88. She was born May 5, 1926 in Schenectady, New York to Marguerite and Cassius Davis. She had an identical twin sister named Harriet. Davis was best known for her role as beloved housekeeper Alice on The Brady Bunch. For five seasons, she donned her trademark light blue maid’s uniform and white apron and entertained television audiences around the country, often scoring… Read the full story

On May 30, 1539, Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernando de Soto landed in Florida. Born to a noble but poor family, de Soto was drawn to the glory and wealth garnered from military fame. A key figure in the successful conquest of Peru, he returned to Spain a wealthy man. In 1938, he set sail to North America with a fleet of 10 ships and a crew of 700 men in search for gold. His expedition… Read the full story

Did you miss our webinar with best-selling author A.J. Jacobs? Don’t worry – now you can watch the entire webinar below! AJ gave us a great overview of his journey into his family history and his upcoming attempt to enter the Guinness Book of Records for the largest family reunion ever. Check how you’re related to AJ on Geni with the AJ Jacobs Cousin Connector and follow the Global Family Reunion project on Geni to meet… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary poet, writer and civil rights activist Maya Agnelou, who has died at the age of 86. Beloved and admired by many, Angelou made literary history when she published her best-selling memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, in 1969 and became the first African-American woman to have a non-fiction best-seller. She was a prolific writer, penning more than 30 books, and received numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011…. Read the full story

Each year the U.S. celebrates Memorial Day in honor of the men and women who have given their lives while serving in the U.S. military. In celebration of the holiday, MyHeritage is providing free access to millions of military records all weekend, from May 23 – 26. Celebrate this Memorial Day by learning more about your military ancestors. Journey back in time to some of the most important conflicts in world history that not only impacted… Read the full story

On May 23, 1928, singer and actress Rosemary Clooney was born in Maysville, Kentucky. A successful jazz vocalist, Clooney first rose to prominence in the early 1950s with the novelty hit “Come On-a My House.” One of five children, she and several of her siblings became successful entertainers, as did their children. Today, her nephew, George Clooney, is one of the most highly sought after stars in Hollywood. Rosemary Clooney is connected to over 75… Read the full story

Best-selling author A.J. Jacobs is organizing the largest family reunion in history and you’re invited! Image: United Purpose A.J. Jacobs is a journalist, an editor-at-large at Esquire magazine, and author of four New York Times bestsellers. You may recognize him from his book, The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible, in which he chronicles the year he attempted to follow all of the rules in the Bible…. Read the full story

Did you have any genealogy breakthroughs this weekend? Have some fun with these articles from around the web. Image: Found after 500 years, the wreck of Christopher Columbus’s flagship the Santa Maria / The Independent The Genealogy Sphere Still Paying for the Civil War (The Wall Street Journal) – Over a century later, families continue to receive Civil War benefits Exclusive: Found after 500 years, the wreck of Christopher Columbus’s flagship the Santa Maria (The… Read the full story

Today we remember Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who passed away May 19, 1994 from cancer. She was born Jacqueline Lee Bouvier on July 28, 1929 in Southampton, New York. In 1953, Jackie married John F. Kennedy in a lavish ceremony, which was considered the social event of the season. During her husband’s presidency, she was the youngest first lady in nearly 80 years. Her keen sense of fashion made her a fashion icon worldwide. To this… Read the full story

Do you remember watching Yours, Mine and Ours? On this day in 1905, star Henry Fonda was born in Grand Island, Nebraska. Fonda was the patriarch of a family of famous actors, including children Jane and Peter Fonda and granddaughter Bridget Fonda. With a nearly 50-year career in the movies, Fonda is widely considered one of the greatest actors in history. Some of his other classic films include The Grapes of Wrath, 12 Angry Men, and… Read the full story

Does longevity run in your family tree? Just recently, the world’s oldest living man was identified as 111-year old New Yorker Alexander Imich. The secret to his longevity? Imich credits good genes, a healthy diet and perhaps the fact that he and his wife never had children. His closest relative is an 84-year-old nephew. Image: NBC New York Imich was born on February 4, 1903 in Poland. Check out a few significant events that occurred the… Read the full story

Remember the song “Splish Splash”? On May 14, 1936, singer Bobby Darin was born in the Bronx, New York. Darin recorded his first mega hit “Splish Splash” in 1958, and followed with a string of best selling records that brought him world fame. He was raised by his grandparents, who he believed were his parents for most of his life. When his mother became pregnant at the age of 16, the family hatched the plan to… Read the full story

Do you have ancestors who served in the Mexican-American War? On May 13, 1846, the U.S. Congress overwhelmingly approved President James K. Polk’s request to declare war on Mexico in the wake of a dispute over Texas. The Republic of Texas had declared their independence from Mexico after the Texas Revolution, and sought to join the United States as a new state. Boundary disputes lead to increasing tension between the two nations, eventually escalating to war. After… Read the full story

We hope everyone had a very enjoyable Mother’s Day weekend. Jump start the new week with these fascinating family history stories from around the web! Image: Woman finds  love letter 6 decades old and tracks down soldier who wrote it / The Washington Post The Genealogy Sphere Rudyard Kipling and the century-old WWI mystery (The Star) – The story of the disappearance of Rudyard Kipling’s disappearance while in combat in 1915 France After His Death,… Read the full story

Do you have a favorite Katharine Hepburn movie? On May 12, 1907, the legendary actress was born in Hartford, Connecticut. Katharine came from wealthy and progressive family. Her father was a noted urologist and proponent of educating the public about venereal diseases and her mother headed the Connecticut Woman Suffrage Association. With her headstrong independence and unconventional attitude, Katharine came to epitomize the “modern woman” in 20th century America. Throughout her long and notable career,… Read the full story

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Mother’s Day in the U.S. Variations of Mother’s Day have been celebrated at different times throughout history all over the world. The official celebration of Mother’s Day in the U.S. began in the early 20th century thanks to the efforts of a woman named Anna Jarvis. A few years after the death of her mother, Anna was inspired to organize a day to not only honor her mother, but… Read the full story

Do you have World War II veterans in your family tree? On May 8, 1945, the Allied nations celebrated Victory in Europe Day. Millions throughout Western Europe took to the streets to celebrate the unconditional surrender of the Nazis, which effectively marked the end of World War II in Europe. Check out some interesting facts about V-E Day: The official act of military surrender was signed on May 7, 1945 After the suicide of Adolf… Read the full story

Do you remember watching Little House on the Prairie? Today star Melissa Gilbert turns 50! Born in Los Angeles, California, Melissa grew up in the entertainment business. She was adopted by actor Paul Gilbert and actress Barbara Crane, the daughter of The Honeymooners creator Harry Crane. She began her career at a young age, appearing in numerous commercials and guest spots on television. In 1974, she landed the role of Laura Ingalls Wilder on the series… Read the full story

On May 7, 1919, Eva Perón, one of the most influential women in South American history, was born in the rural village of Los Toldos, Argentina. With little-to-no money, she moved to the nation’s capital at the age of 15 to pursue a career as a model and actress. In 1945, she married Juan Perón, who became president of Argentina the following year. As the First Lady of Argentina, Eva used her position to fight for women’s… Read the full story

We are excited to announce an exclusive webinar with A.J. Jacobs, well-known author, editor and genealogist. Hear first-hand about A.J.’s own journey to his past, and his upcoming attempt to enter the Guinness Book of Records for the largest family reunion in history. A.J.’s mission to break the Guinness world record for the largest family reunion was recently reported in the New York Times and in interviews on NPR and CBC Radio. Using Geni and MyHeritage, A.J…. Read the full story

Did you or your parents use Benjamin Spock’s parenting advice book Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care? On this day in 1903, the American pediatrician was born in New Haven, Connecticut. Published in 1946, the parenting book is one of the best-selling books of all time. Throughout its first 52 years, Baby and Child Care was the second-best-selling book, next to the Bible. At the time of publication, his ideas about childcare were a great… Read the full story

On May 1, 1851, the Great Exhibition opened at the Crystal Palace in London. Conceived by Prince Albert, the exhibit was the first in a series of World’s Fair exhibitions of culture and industrial innovation. When Prince Albert married Queen Victoria at the age of 20, he found himself constrained by his position as consort. Over time, he adopted many public causes, such as educational reform and a worldwide abolition of slavery. Prince Albert also… Read the full story

Have you come across a World War I draft registration card in your genealogy research? These draft cards can hold a wealth of genealogical information. In 1917, the United States passed the Selective Service Act, which allowed the government to raise a national army through a nationwide draft. From 1917 – 1918, every male between the ages of 18 – 45 living in the United States were required to sign up for the draft, regardless… Read the full story

Happy birthday Jerry Seinfeld! Can you believe today the comedian turns 60? Jerry was born Jerome Allen Seinfeld on April 29, 1954 in Brooklyn, New York. His father was a sign maker of Hungarian Jewish descent and his mother is of Syrian Jewish descent. He got his start in stand-up comedy while in college. In 1988, Jerry developed the hit sitcom Seinfeld with fellow comedian Larry David. The show proved to be a huge success, running… Read the full story

Everyone have a wonderful weekend? See what articles you may have missed last week! Image: Drones help find World War II’s missing soldiers / Engadget The Genealogy Sphere Drones help find World War II’s missing soldiers (Engadget) – Search uses drones to find missing soldiers of World War II Spotlighting a law that stripped U.S.-born women of citizenship (LA Times) – A look into the Expatriation Act of 1907 that required a woman who married… Read the full story

Have you ever used the Library of Congress for your genealogy research? On this day in 1800, President John Adams approved legislation to appropriate $5,000 to purchase “such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress,” thus establishing the Library of Congress. The initial books came from London and the collection was housed in the new Capitol. In 1814, invading British troops had set fire to several government buildings, including the Capitol, destroying… Read the full story