USCIS threat to immigration records access #RecordsAccess

U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) proposes to increase fees for accessing historical records held by their Genealogy Program to as much as $340 per file.  The IAJGS Public Records Access Alert reports that the comment period on this proposal has been extended to March 13, 2023. 

If maintaining access to immigration records of historical and genealogical importance matters to you, see https://www.recordsnotrevenue.com for more information, issues you might want to address, and suggestions on how to write a comment letter.

PS It is also helpful to share your comments with your U.S. Senator and Representative.

The 1921 Scottish Census is Here!

On the night of 19 June 1921 every household in Scotland was asked to fill in the census. The personal information they shared has been kept confidential for more than 100 years.

From 9 a.m. on 30 November 2022 the 1921 census will be opened for the first time and made available on the ScotlandsPeople website and ScotlandsPeople Centres.

These records provide a glimpse of what life was like for people in 1921; where they lived, who they lived with and their occupation. For the first time the census also records where people worked, if children had been orphaned and who was eligible for benefit under the National Insurance Act of 1911.

RootsMagic 8 (NEW!) and RootsMagic 7 Software Reviews

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Native American Heritage Month Resources

The National Genealogical Society (NGS) is pleased to honor our country's indigenous peoples as we celebrate Native American Heritage Month.

The Library of Congress is hosting a Native American Heritage Month website, with support from National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

NGS Board member and Chair of the NGS Awards Committee Judy Nimer Muhn has graciously shared with us the above photo and the following resources for those interested in researching their Native American heritage.

US Department of the Interior: A Guide to Tracing Your American Indian Ancestry

This guide discusses how to begin genealogy research.

Ancestry Research Guide: Researching Your American Indian Ancestors

Cyndi’s List of Native American Genealogy Resources

You may also want to check out Judy Nimer Muhn’s own blog post, “November as Native American Heritage Month,” on her website Lineage Journeys.

How to Pick the Best Software for Your Genealogy Goals

Brought to You By Family Tree Magazine

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