2012

This Sunday, April 22, the world celebrates Earth Day! Over 175 countries around the world will join to spread awareness and appreciation of the Earth’s natural environment. Together these countries are working to build a clean and healthier world for generations to come. It’s around this time of year that everyone becomes a little more motivated to do their part in helping the environment. Let’s take a closer look at the history of Earth Day and… Read the full story

On April 20, 1808, French emperor Napoleon III was born in Paris, France. He was the nephew and heir of Napoleon Bonaparte. In 1848, he was elected President of the French Second Republic in a landslide victory. However, in 1851, Napoleon III initiated a coup d’etat and ascended to the throne as Emperor of the French in 1852. After a crushing defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, the Second French Empire fell and Napoleon III was… Read the full story

Today, April 19, is Holocaust Remembrance Day or Yom HaShoah. Established in Israel in 1953, the day is observed as Israel’s day of commemoration for the millions of Jews who perished in the Holocaust. Around the world, people of the Jewish community observe the day to remember the 6 million lives of friends and relatives lost. In honor of the lives lost and forever changed by the Holocaust, several genealogy projects are dedicated to finding… Read the full story

Today we remember Dick Clark, who passed away yesterday at the age of 82. As the host of American Bandstand, Clark introduced the country to rock ‘n’ roll and transformed it into a cultural force. For decades, his show helped launch the careers of some of music’s biggest names to viewers of all ages. For the last four decades, Clark counted down the New Year at Times Square in New York City. In 2004, he… Read the full story

On April 18, 1882, orchestral conductor Leopold Stokowski was born in London. Stokowski was known for popularizing classical music throughout his 60-year career. Today he is revered as one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century. Perhaps his most well known accomplishment is his work conducting the musical score for the Disney film, Fantasia. In 1942, Stokowski was awarded with an honorary Academy Award for his unique achievement in bringing music to the screen… Read the full story

Stephen Benét was an American author, poet, short story writer, and novelist. He is best known for his narrative poem of the American Civil War, John Brown’s Body (1928), for which he won a Pulitzer Prize in 1929, and for two short stories, “The Devil and Daniel Webster” (1937) and “By the Waters of Babylon”. Benét was born on July 22, 1898 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to James Walker Benét, a colonel in the United States Army,… Read the full story

On April 17, 1974, Victoria Beckham was born. She rose to fame as a member of the British pop sensation, the Spice Girls. Together they sold over 75 million records worldwide, making them the best-selling female group of all time. Dubbed Posh Spice during her Spice Girls days, Victoria has found continued success as a fashion designer and style icon. In 1999, Victoria married soccer superstar David Beckham at Luttrellstown Castle, Ireland. Are you a fan of… Read the full story

Here’s the latest in the world of genealogy: The Genealogy Sphere What Does the 1940 Census Mean to the Genealogy Community? (Thomas MacEntee) – Thomas MacEntee likens the release of the 1940 census to Christmas for genealogists Most-Wired Generation Meets Greatest Generation in Census Frenzy (SF Gate) – A look into the 1940 census frenzy among genealogists Unsinkable Molly Brown’s daughter chose Paris over Titanic (Greenwichtime.com) – What could have been – a descendant of… Read the full story

Today, April 16, Pope Benedict XVI celebrates his 85th birthday. He was born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger in 1927. In 2005, Pope Benedict succeeded John Paul II as the 265th Pope of the Catholic Church. This is just the first of Pope Benedict’s milestones this month. April 19 marks the 7th anniversary of his election as pope and April 24 is the anniversary of the beginning of his pontificate. Pope Benedict XVI’s family tree is still… Read the full story

In anticipation of the Titanic‘s 100th anniversary, a group of dedicated Geni users made it their mission to build the family trees of every Titanic passenger and crew member. Yes, that’s right – every single one. The RMS Titanic project was created to identify and list the survivors and casualties of the sinking of the Titanic. Today, they are proud to report that they were successful in accomplishing their goal! Through a truly collaborative effort, and spearheaded by… Read the full story

Today’s Titanic passenger story involves love, a sapphire necklace and tragedy. Remember the necklace worn by Kate Winslet’s character in James Cameron’s film Titanic? It was inspired by today’s tragic Titanic love story. Henry Samuel Morley was a confectioner from England. Although he was married and had a 12-year-old daughter, Henry made plans to leave England and travel to California. He told his friends he was traveling to the United States to recuperate from illness, however he was… Read the full story

Last week we showcased a few celebrities we found in the 1940 U.S. census. During our research, we also discovered some celebrity neighbors! Mary Pickford, Fred Astaire and Charlie Chaplin all lived on the same street in Beverly Hills, California! Actress Mary Pickford was living at 1143 Summit Drive with her husband Charles Buddy Rogers. During her marriage with Douglas Fairbanks, the home was known as “Pickfair” by the press and was once a hot… Read the full story

Colonel Archibald Gracie, IV was an American writer, amateur historian and a first class passenger aboard the Titanic. He spent much of the voyage chaperoning various unaccompanied women, including American author Helen Churchill Candee. After the Titanic struck the iceberg, Gracie put on his life-jacket and helped escort the women he had chaperoned into the lifeboats. Once all the regular boats had launched, Gracie assisted Second Officer Charles Lightoller in freeing the four collapsible boats that were… Read the full story

Perhaps one of the most famous passenger stories from the Titanic is that of Isidor and Ida Straus. Isidor Straus was a former U.S. Congressman and the co-owner of Macy’s department store with his brother Nathan. He and his wife Ida were traveling back to the U.S. from Germany on board the RMS Titanic. Their infant grandson, Stuart Scheftel, had caught a cold and had been left behind in England with his nurse. After the Titanic struck… Read the full story

Today we highlight Violet Jessop, who was a stewardess aboard the Titanic. Amazingly, Jessop survived three different maritime disasters within a span of five years. In 1911, while working as a stewardess on the HMS Olympic, the ship collided with the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Hawke, causing major flooding and damage. Fortunately, no lives were lost. Coincidentally, the Olympic was commanded by Captain Edward Smith, who would later captain the Titanic. On April 10, 1912,… Read the full story

This week marks the 100th anniversary of the RMS Titanic‘s fateful voyage. Let’s take a look at some interesting facts about the Titanic and learn a little bit more about some of the most notable passengers on board. Want to learn more about other Titanic passengers? Check out the RMS Titanic project on Geni and join other users working hard to build the family trees of all the Titanic passengers and crew! Are you related to a Titanic passenger?… Read the full story

Since the 1940 U.S. census was released last Monday, there were a large number of census related articles. Check out a few interesting articles below! The Genealogy Sphere J.D. Salinger Found Using NYPL’s 1940 Census Tool (Gothamist) – J.D. Salinger was found in the 1940 census using the New York Public Library’s research tool Citations Explained – A Don’t Miss Resource for all Genealogists (About.com) – With the release of the 1940 census, Kimberly Powell goes… Read the full story

In honor of the Titanic‘s 100th anniversary, we will be highlighting Titanic passengers this week. Our first Titanic passenger is Joseph Laroche, a Paris-educated Haitian engineer who was traveling on board the Titanic with his family. Although Laroche was from a powerful family in Haiti, he did not experience the same privileged lifestyle in France. Unable to find employment in France because of his race, Laroche decided to return to home to Haiti with his expectant wife and… Read the full story

Now that the 1940 U.S. census images are up, we thought it would be fun to see where some of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities were living at the time. Check out a few big name Hollywood players in the 1940 census! Click on the census images to get a better view. Shirley Temple   Dimpled actress Shirley Temple was 11 when the census was taken. If you weren’t looking carefully, it would have been easy to… Read the full story

Tonight’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? features actress Edie Falco. Will you be watching tonight as she investigates her maternal ancestors and makes a startling discovery about a tragic event in her family’s past? Edie Falco’s tree is still pretty small. Perhaps after tonight’s episode, you will be able to help expand her tree and connected her to over 60 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. View Edie Falco’s Geni Profile

Are you a fan of country music? Did you catch Taylor Swift win her second consecutive Entertainer of the Year Award at this past Sunday’s Academy of Country Music Awards? The gala was co-hosted by country singers Blake Shelton and Reba McEntire. Did you know Taylor Swift and Reba McEntire are related? Reba is Taylor Swift’s 15th cousin once removed! It’s no wonder Taylor Swift has found success – country music runs in her veins…. Read the full story

Today we remember musician Kurt Cobain, who died from a self-inflicted shotgun wound on April 5, 1994. As the lead singer of the grunge band Nirvana, Cobain redefined the music of the 90’s. To this day, Cobain is remembered as one of the most iconic rock musicians in history. Kurt Cobain is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related? View Kurt Cobain’s Geni Profile  

Yesterday marked the anniversary of the first Pony Express mail delivery service. On April 3, 1860, the first relay teams of horses and riders made their way from St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California simultaneously. Ten days later, the westbound rider arrived in Sacramento, beating the eastbound rider to St. Joseph by two days. The Pony Express’s delivery speed was nearly unheard of at the time. The Pony Express was co-founded by William Russell, Alexander Majors and William Waddell with… Read the full story

Today we remember civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr., who was fatally shot in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. Dr. King was in town to support striking African American sanitation workers. Years after his death, his legacy lives on. Considered one of the most iconic civil rights activists in history, Dr. King’s work to end racial discrimination and inequality through nonviolent methods continues to inspire people all around the world. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s… Read the full story

On April 3, 1934, British primatologist Jane Goodall was born. Considered to be the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees, Goodall is perhaps best known for her 45-year study of wild chimpanzees in Tanzania. In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute, which is dedicated to bringing awareness to the preservation of animals and the conservation of their habitats. Jane Goodall’s family tree is still pretty small. Perhaps you can help connect her to over 60… Read the full story

It’s been an exciting day today with the release of the 1940 U.S. census. While you wait for your images to load, take a look at some interesting genealogy articles from the past week. The Genealogy Sphere Genealogy Art (Past-Present-Future) – Smadar Belkind Gerson shares a piece from her husband’s art work inspired by their ancestors Unlocking a new door to the 1940s (Chicago Tribune) – Some tips on how to search the 1940 census… Read the full story

Today, the 1940 U.S. census is finally available to the public! The U.S. National Archives has released the 1940 census images online for free. These records contain information for over 132 million U.S. citizens and hold a plethora of genealogical treasures. Are you ready to find your relatives in the 1940 census? Here are steps to get started: Visit the National Archives’ official website for the 1940 U.S. Census Search census maps and descriptions to… Read the full story

On April 2, 1802, American activist Dorothea Dix was born. Dix has often been described as “the most effective advocate of humanitarian reform in American mental institutions during the nineteenth century.” She successfully lobbied state legislatures and the U.S. Congress to create the first generation of American mental asylums. Dorothea Dix is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Dorothea Dix’s Geni Profile  

This week we’re happy to present a post written by guest blogger Smadar Belkind Gerson of Past-Present-Future. Smadar graciously shared with us her story about how she made a family connection through Geni.  This is the story of HOW I MET THE BLOOMFIELDS. This story may not become a hit sitcom like How I Met your Mother, but if Geni.com decides to create a reality genealogy series, maybe the Bloomfields can star in an episode…. Read the full story

Tonight’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? features actress Rita Wilson and her quest to discover her family history. Watch tonight as she journeys to Greece and Bulgaria to trace her paternal ancestry. Rita Wilson’s tree is still pretty small. Perhaps after tonight’s episode, you can help expand her family tree.   View Rita Wilson’s Geni Profile  

Today, March 28, is Lady Gaga‘s 26th birthday! Lady Gaga was born Stefani Germanotta in New York.  Are you a fan of the “Born This Way” singer? The song became her third number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Lady Gaga’s family tree is still pretty small. Perhaps you can help build her tree and connect her to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. View Lady Gaga’s Geni Profile

Today we released some minor changes to Family Group and a few bug fixes. Take a look at our full release notes below: Enhancements: Your Family Group now only consists of Geni users. What this means is: Your Family List will only show people who have joined Geni Your Calendar will only show relatives who have joined Geni and your living close relatives Other enhancements: You can now see your family’s birthdays and anniversaries for the entire year in your Calendar. Simply… Read the full story

On March 27, 1899, actress Gloria Swanson was born. Considered one of the biggest stars of the silent era, Swanson made the successful transition to “talkies” with her turn in the 1950’s film Sunset Blvd. She earned her third Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of Norma Desmond, a faded silent movie star. Did you know that she has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to film and television? Gloria… Read the full story

Check out some interesting genealogy articles from the past week! The Genealogy Sphere Family Tree’s Startling Roots (New York Times) – Henry Louis Gates, Jr. discovers that comedian Wanda Syke has the longest continuously documented family tree of any African American he has researched. Woman traces family back to Revolutionary War (Shelby Star) – A woman traces her genealogy to the Revolutionary War beginning at an overgrown cemetery. 1800s couple’s portraits reunited with help of… Read the full story

Last night Henry Louis Gates, Jr.’s newest PBS series Finding Your Roots premiered with a look into singer and actor Harry Connick, Jr.‘s genealogy. In the episode, Harry learned that one of his ancestors was a privateer who fought for the colonists during the American Revolutionary War. Did you catch this latest genealogy show? Harry Connick, Jr. is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related? View Harry Connick,… Read the full story

Tonight’s new episode of Who Do You Think You Are? features actress Helen Hunt as she traces her paternal ancestry. Her search leads her to San Francisco, where she discovers her family’s connection to the formation of the banking institution, Wells Fargo. Will you be watching tonight? Helen Hunt is connected to over 60 million profiles on Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Helen Hunt’s Geni Profile  

On March 22, 1923, acclaimed French actor and mime Marcel Maceau was born in Strasbourg, France. Marceau gained international fame for his silent performances as Bip, the white-faced character he brought to life on the stage and screen. Marcel Marceau’s family tree is still pretty small. Perhaps you can help build his tree and connect him to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. View Marcel Marceau’s Geni Profile  

The release of the 1940 U.S. census records is less than two weeks away! Are you excited to get your hands on these documents and upload them to your family’s Geni profiles? Let’s take a look at what you can expect to find in the 1940 census records. Standard information from census records: Name Age Gender Marital status Race Education Occupation Place of birth Citizenship Place of residence Home owned or rented? Value of the home?… Read the full story

On on March 21, 1871, journalist Henry Morton Stanley began his famous search through Africa for the missing British explorer Dr. David Livingstone. Livingstone had set out for a two year expedition into Africa in 1865 to find the source of the Nile River. However, six years after his expedition began, little was heard of Livingstone. The New York Herald sent Stanley on a highly publicized search to find him. Upon their meeting in 1871, Stanley… Read the full story

Today we are rolling out the latest enhancements to Geni Projects. Now there are even more picture and video options for projects! Read more about these changes below. Add More Pictures and Videos You can now add multiple pictures and videos to projects. Click on Photos & Documents to view all the photos, documents and videos tagged to a project.   Here you can easily view all the photos, documents and videos that have been… Read the full story

Catch up on some genealogy articles by checking out the links below. The Genealogy Sphere BBC reporter Mark Simpson learns of Titanic relative (BBC News) – Mark Simpson, a reporter for the BBC, discovers he is related to a passenger of the Titanic Titanic letter returning to Belfast (BBC News) – A litter written aboard the Titanic is brought back to Belfast for an exhibition Family Photo Preservation (Save Photo blog) – Tips on how… Read the full story

On March 19, 1947, actress Glenn Close was born in Greenwich, Connecticut. This year she was nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards for her role in the film Albert Nobbs. She lost the coveted award to Meryl Streep, her 15th cousin once removed. Glenn Close is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Glenn Close’s Geni Profile  

Tomorrow, people all around the world will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Millions of Irish people have emigrated abroad and it is estimated that 80 million people worldwide claim some Irish descent. Did you know that over 34.7 million people in the U.S. claim Irish ancestry? That’s more than seven times the population of Ireland! Do you claim any Irish roots? Join some of Geni’s great Irish genealogy projects to collaborate with people from all… Read the full story

Tomorrow, March 17, is St. Patrick’s Day! In honor of the festive Irish holiday, we are highlighting St. Patrick‘s profile on Geni! St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and one of Christianity’s most widely known figures. Do you have any Irish ancestry? Let us know you will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the comments below! St. Patrick is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you… Read the full story

On this day in 44 BC, Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in the Roman Senate by Marcus Junius Brutus and a group of approximately 60 Roman senators. Although the Senate passed an amnesty on the assassins, the uproar among the population caused Brutus and the conspirators to leave Rome. A series of civil wars ultimately followed, ending with the victory of Caesar’s adopted heir, Octavian and the formation of the Roman Empire. Octavian would become… Read the full story

Today is Pi Day! Pi Day commemorates the mathematical constant π (pi) each year on March 14, or 3/14, which are the first three digits of π (3.14). π is a mathematical constant that measures the ratio of any circle’s circumference to its diameter. Because π is an irrational number, it cannot be expressed as a fraction. Its decimal representation never ends and is never repeated. In honor of Pi Day, we thought it would be fun to highlight… Read the full story

On March 14, 1879, German physicist Albert Einstein was born. Regarded as the “father of modern physics” and one of the most prolific intellects in history, Einstein’s name has become synonymous with genius. He is perhaps best remembered for his theory of relativity and his mass-energy equivalence formula E = mc². In 1921, Einstein received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his revolutionary contributions to the field. Albert Einstein is connected to over 60 million… Read the full story

On March 13, 1855, mathematician and astronomer Percival Lowell was born. Lowell is best known for fueling speculation that there were canals on Mars. He also formed the beginning of the effort that led to the discovery of Pluto. In fact, the naming of Pluto was influenced by Percival Lowell’s initials “PL.” Percival Lowell is connected to over 60 million profiles in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?   View Percival Lowell’s Geni… Read the full story

Check out some interesting articles from the world of genealogy! The Genealogy Sphere Handwritten journals from Lizzie Borden lawyer donated to FRHS (The Herald News) – Hand written letters from Lizzie Borden’s lawyer were recently donated to the Fall River Historical Society Behind the Scenes of the Milstein Suspense Trailer (New York Public Library) – A behind the scenes look at the cool movie trailer-style promo video for the Milstein Division of the U.S. History, Local… Read the full story

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts, we’re happy to present a post by guest blogger Angela Kraft of Leaves of Heritage Genealogy, who gives us a few things to ponder about Girl Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Low. Thank you for allowing me to be a guest blogger! My name is Angela Kraft, and I am the owner of Leaves of Heritage Genealogy.  In honor of the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts, I… Read the full story