RootsTech 2018 Announces Lineup of Keynote Speakers

RootsTech 2018, the world’s largest family history conference hosted by FamilySearch International, announced its full lineup of keynote speakers, including Brandon Stanton, Scott Hamilton, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Natalia Lafourcade. Fueled by the popularity of DNA genealogy, social platforms, and related mobile apps, RootsTech had over 50,000 in-person and online attendees in 2017. The conference is held in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 28 through March 3, and select content is broadcast live daily online.

Keynote Speakers

RootsTech 2018 kicks off Wednesday, February 28, with the latest in DNA genealogy classes and other popular topics and a keynote by Steve Rockwood, CEO of FamilySearch International. Brandon Stanton, a world-renowned photographer and storyteller, will then take the stage March 1 to share his remarkable gift of photographing and sharing people’s stories on his website, Humans of New York. Stanton’s art focuses on everyday people—illustrating that every life has an important story. The website and associated Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram posts led to his two New York Timesbestselling books.

Scott Hamilton, hailed as one of the greatest male figure skaters of all time, will address the crowd on Friday, March 2. His skating prowess won Hamilton an Olympic Gold Medal, World and US Championships, and induction into both the United States Olympic and World Figure Skating Halls of Fame. Hamilton is a cancer survivor, career TV broadcaster, author, motivational speaker, and—most importantly to him—husband and father.

Saturday, March 3, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., will share his experiences in documenting genealogical and anthropological finds on film and African-American research. Gates is perhaps best known for his current role as host of Finding Your Roots, his groundbreaking genealogy series on PBS. This Emmy Award-winning filmmaker has created 18 documentaries, PBS productions, African American Lives 1 and 2, and documents the lineage of more than a dozen African Americans using genealogy and DNA; Faces of America, a four-part genealogical series, explores family histories of twelve diverse North Americans; and his six-part, The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross, won multiple prestigious awards.

Natalia Lafourcade, internationally recognized singer, songwriter, and one of the most successful singers in the Latin America pop rock genre, will also keynote on Saturday, March 3. She is perhaps most known recently as the voice in the closing credits of the hit Disney movie Coco singing the popular song “Remember Me.” Lafourcade, who has captured hearts all over Mexico and in countries around the world, will share her musical talent and love for family on the RootsTech stage.

Classes

RootsTech 2018 offers more than 300 classes and activities for families and individuals with varying interests and skillsets. Select classes will be broadcast live. Learn more or register at RootsTech.org.

About RootsTech

RootsTech, hosted by FamilySearch, is a global conference celebrating families across generations, where people of all ages are inspired to discover and share their memories and connections. This annual event has become the largest of its kind in the world, attracting tens of thousands of participants worldwide.

Experience these exciting activities at RootsTech 2018!

RootsTech 2018 is just around the corner! Aside from an all-star lineup of keynote speakers and more than 300 informative sessions to choose from, here are 3 other activities happening during RootsTech that might interest you. Trace.com Coaches’ Corner Back by popular demand, the Trace.com Coaches’ Corner in the Expo Hall is the place to go if you’re looking for one-on-one mentoring from an expert genealogist. Bring your biggest roadblocks or dead ends, and receive personalized help. Sign up for a time here: rootstech.org/coachescorner. Free Book Scanning The FamilySearch book scanning booth offers a free service to digitally preserve your family history or some other book of genealogical value. Let FamilySearch scan your book and publish a searchable, digital copy online to preserve it for the future! You keep the original. Bring your books and this signed permission form to booth 1635 during regular Expo Hall hours to get started. Heirloom Show and Tell Do you have an antique, an heirloom, or a photo that you’d like an expert to look at? Now’s your chance! Bring in any small item or a photo of a large item that you’ve been wondering about, and the experts will tell you more about it. No sign-up is required. Stop in during regular Expo Hall hours.

Download the RootsTech Mobile App!

Download the RootsTech Mobile App Today! The RootsTech 2018 mobile app, sponsored by WordPress, is now available for download from the App Store and the Google Play Store. The mobile app allows you to browse the conference schedule, build a personalized agenda, find speaker information, connect with other attendees, and much more! 7 Ways the Mobile App Will Enhance Your RootsTech Experience  The app is designed to help you make the most out of your RootsTech experience. Read our blog post, and discover 7 helpful features that will help make your conference journey a success. Installing the RootsTech Mobile App  If you already have the updated 2017 version of the app installed on your device, you can access the 2018 content by following these steps: Open the RootsTech app. From the home screen, in the bottom right corner, tap Exit to Show List. Select RootsTech 2018. *Please note that the app will continue to update as new content is added.

President Dallin H. Oaks to Speak at RootsTech 2018 Family Discovery Day

RootsTech 2018 Family Discovery Day is pleased to welcome President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks, as the keynote speakers at Family Discovery Day at 1:00 p.m. MST on Saturday, March 3, 2018. They will share insights from their family experience in family history work, the importance of individual families and family connections, the corresponding importance of temples and temple work, and insights into how each person can contribute to family history based on their circumstances. Family Discovery Day is a one-day, free event, but registration is required at RootsTech.org.

Presidenet Oaks is a strong proponent of family history work and redeeming the dead. He notes that family history work is more than gathering names and dates and encourages everyone to do something. He and Sister Oaks will share special insights into where families belong in the tapestry of human life and the weaving in of individual family heritage—past, present, and future.

Additional Family Discovery Day special guests are Hank Smith, Jason Hewlett, Evie Clair, Kenya Clark, and Alex Melecio, who will celebrate families, the inherent strength of family, family history, memories, and family support.

Popular inspirational speaker and BYU professor Hank Smith has spoken to audiences in nearly every state in the U.S. Smith loves to teach youth and young adults from the scriptures, and he reminds listeners that life in a family has its challenges, but the rewards are eternal. He returns by popular demand from RootsTech 2017 Family Discovery Day.

He will be joined on stage by Jason Hewlett, a world-class performer, who uses comedy, music parody, and impressions to receive standing ovations from audiences worldwide. He began his career with Las Vegas Legends in Concert and has been a member, since 2003, of the National Speakers Association. He has appeared at more than 2,000 events and venues during the past 10 years and is one of the country’s premier corporate event headliners. He has performed in every major casino in Las Vegas, appeared on the nationally televised Jerry Lewis Telethon, and has won numerous Best of State Entertainment Awards in Utah. Together, these two will show youth how to make family history fun!

Evie Clair (13) a recent finalist in America’s Got Talent 2017, credits her father, one of her biggest supporters and her inspiration, for her determination and talents. She began onstage as Annie at the Hale Center Theater at age 8. She arranges music on the piano, released two pop singles before she was 12, sang her original song on a movie soundtrack, and is a popular YouTube performer. Evie’s father passed away a week before her final performance on America’s Got Talent. She sang her original song for the final show with celebrity James Arthur, who tweeted that it was his new favorite song.

Alex Melecio, originally from Sinaloa, Mexico, is an accomplished Latin singer who combines the masculinity of the classic Mexican Charro with the soft sweet poignancy of a pop balladeer. Melecio’s music is fresh and inventive, featuring an acoustic pop sound of his own. His music speaks of hope, courage in hard times, and the longing for home, blending tradition with invention. He has won the hearts of Hispanic audiences in concerts performed in homes to shows in front of 20,000 people. In 2012, his voice reached a national audience as a finalist on Tengo Talento, Mucho Talento, one of the most popular television shows among Hispanics in the U.S.

Kenya Clark, a member of One Voice Children’s Choir and a band singer with the Caleb Chapman's Sound House, has been a singer all her life. This year she toured Japan and France with the One Voice choir. Her Moana video cover won Best Music Video by the 2017 Utah Music Awards.

In addition to hearing guest speakers, guests can attend numerous free sessions specifically designed to help Latter-day Saints with callings and give them the latest tools and resources, one-on-one help, interactive activities, inspiring messages, and fun.

RootsTech Family Discovery Day is a one-day free event for LDS individuals and families to celebrate their heritage on March 3, 2018. Although RootsTech originates in Salt Lake City, Utah, interested parties around the world can join live online. Video streaming will be in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Admission is free, but event registration is required. Visit RootsTech.org/family-discovery-day to register.

Watch the live stream

If you can’t attend Family Discovery Day in person, you can still participate virtually! General sessions will be streamed live on the home page of LDS.org in English so that members of the Church around the world can participate.

Watch later

If you can’t watch live on March 3 starting at 1:00 p.m. MST, videos of the messages from Family Discovery Day will be archived at lds.org/discoverfamily for later viewing.

About RootsTech

RootsTech, hosted by FamilySearch, is a global conference celebrating families across generations, where people of all ages are inspired to discover and share their memories and connections. This annual event has become the largest of its kind in the world, attracting tens of thousands of participants worldwide.

Natalia Lafourcade is speaking at RootsTech 2018!

Natalia Lafourcade Speaking at RootsTech 2018 Internationally recognized artist Natalia Lafourcade has captured hearts all over Mexico and in countries across the world, and she’s bringing her musical talents and love of family to the RootsTech stage! Known for her charisma and beauty of interpretation, Lafourcade has received numerous honors including Grammy Awards and MTV Latino awards. Lafourcade recently partnered with popular singer Miguel, and the duo recorded “Remember Me” from the hit Disney Pixar movie Coco. Lafourcade, who has always been inspired by her musical forebears, will speak about the connection between music and her family roots on Saturday, March 3. Learn More Opening Event: Celebrating the Greatest Generation Join us on Thursday, March 1, at 6 p.m. MSTfor the opening event! This event will feature vignettes of 1940s era dance, music, and narration to celebrate the greatest generation! Enjoy entertainment from the BYU Ballroom Dance Company and Synthesis, an-award winning swing, blues, and jazz musical group from BYU. The event will be narrated by the Emmy award-winning Bruce Lindsay. Computer Labs Computer labs are a great way to experience even more at RootsTech! They provide opportunities to get hands-on tutorials on topics such as photo editing, social media tools, and DNA research. Pre-registration is required to attend. Some labs are already sold out; reserve your spot today! Click HERE to add a computer lab to your RootsTech experience.

Passes start at just $69.

Register

Finding Your Roots' Henry Louis Gates Jr. to Keynote RootsTech 2018

RootsTech is pleased to announce Henry Louis Gates Jr.will be a keynote speaker at RootsTech 2018 on Saturday, March 3, 2018, at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Dr. Gates is perhaps best known in genealogy circles for his current role as the host of Finding Your Roots, his groundbreaking genealogy series on PBS, now in its 4^th season. The series combines traditional genealogical paper research with genetic Y-chromosome DNA, mitochondrial DNA, and autosomal DNA to discover the family history of well-known Americans.

Gates has been engaged in genealogical and anthropological studies for most of his career. Prior to Finding Your Roots, he hosted and co-produced African American Lives 1 and 2, using genealogy and DNA to document the lineage of more than a dozen African Americans and hosted Faces of America, a four-part series examining the genealogy of 12 North Americans of diverse ancestry—also for PBS.

As an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, he has created 18 documentary films. His six-part PBS documentary series, The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross (2013), which he wrote, executive produced, and hosted, earned the Emmy Award for Outstanding Historical Program—Long Form, as well as the Peabody Award, Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award, and NAACP Image Award.

Gates is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University (first titled the W.E.B Institute for African and African American research)—a position he has held since he arrived at Harvard in 1991. During his first 15 years on campus, he chaired the Department of Afro-American Studies as it expanded into the Department of African and African American Studies with a full-fledged doctoral program.

He has authored or co-authored 22 books and is also hailed as a literary scholar, journalist, cultural critic, and institution builder. Professor Gates serves as chairman of TheRoot.com, a daily online magazine and chair of the Creative Board of FUSION TV. He also oversees the Oxford African American Studies Center, the first comprehensive scholarly online resource on the topic and, through a funding grant, has developed a Finding Your Roots curriculum to teach science through genetics and genealogy.

Gates received his B.A. in English language and literature summa cum laude, from Yale University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Cambridge in 1979. Since then he has received 55 honorary degrees and numerous prizes. In 1981 Dr. Gates was a member of the first class awarded “genius grants” by the MacArthur Foundation. In 1998, he became the first African American scholar awarded the National Humanities medal. He was named to Time’s 25 Most Influential Americans list in 1997, Ebony’s Power 150 list in 2009, and the magazine’s Power 100 list in 2010 and 2012.

He is currently a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and serves on a wide array of boards, including the New York Public Library, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the Aspen Institute, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Whitney Museum of American Art, Library of America, and the Brookings Institution. In 2017, the Organization of American States named Gates a Goodwill Ambassador for the Rights of People of African Descent in the Americas.

For more information, or to register, go to RootsTech.org.  

About RootsTech

RootsTech, hosted by FamilySearch, is a global conference celebrating families across generations, where people of all ages are inspired to discover and share their memories and connections. This annual event has become the largest of its kind in the world, attracting tens of thousands of participants worldwide.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. is speaking at RootsTech 2018!

Henry Louis Gates Jr. Speaking at RootsTech 2018 Don’t pass up this special opportunity to hear from one of America’s top scholars of African-American literature and African diasporic studies! Henry Louis Gates Jr., Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University, and well-known host of the PBS television series Finding Your Roots, is bringing his wealth of knowledge to the RootsTech stage as an honored keynote on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Gates is lauded for his research, highly successful books, and as an acclaimed host for a variety of television programs and documentaries. Prices start at just $69. Register today. Register

The following is from FamilySearch.

Free Family History Library Classes and Webinars for February 2018

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, has announced its free family history classes and webinars for February 2018. Participants can attend in person or online. The February schedule includes a four-session series on African American research (just in time for Black History Month), how-to classes for Britain, Ireland, Norway, and US research, and other useful tips and instruction. Some classes are available in Spanish. See the full schedule below. Mark your calendars for events you want to join so you don’t forget.

Online classes are noted on the schedule as webinars. Webinar attendees need to click the link next to the class title at the scheduled date and time to attend the class online. Those attending in person simply go to the room noted. Invite your family and friends. All times are in Mountain Standard Time (MST).

If you are unable to attend a class, most sessions are recorded and can be viewed later online at your convenience. To access these, go to the archive for Family History Library classes and webinars.

DATE / TIME	CLASS (SKILL LEVEL)	WEBINAR/ROOM
Thursday, 1 February, 3:00 p.m. MST	African American Miniseries: Getting Started with African American Research, Post 1865 (20 mins.) (Beginner)	Webinar | MF B
Saturday, 3 February, 1:00 p.m. MST	Mi papá también es mi abuelo (Beginner)	Webinar | MF Lab
Monday, 5 February, 10:00 a.m. MST	Using the FamilySearch Catalog Effectively (Beginner)	Webinar | MF Lab
Tuesday, 6 February, 11:00 a.m. MST	Starting Family Tree: Research Help and Searching Records (Beginner)	Webinar | MF Lab
Wednesday, 7 February, 10:00 a.m. MST	Dutch Language Indexing (1 and 1/2 hours) (Beginner)	Webinar | MF Lab
Thursday, 8 February, 1:00 p.m. MST	The Research Process (Beginner)	Webinar | MF Lab
Thursday, 8 February, 3:00 p.m. MST	African American Miniseries: Finding Helpful Resources, Post 1865 (20 mins.) (Beginner)	Webinar | MF B
Monday, 12 February, 10:00 a.m. MST	Using the FamilySearch Catalog Effectively (Beginner)	Webinar | MF Lab
Thursday, 15 February, 3:00 p.m. MST	African American Miniseries: How FamilySearch Tools Can Help with Post 1865 Resources (Beginner) (20 mins)	Webinar | MF B
Saturday, 17 February, 1:00 p.m. MST	Hay cinco copias de mi abuelo (Beginner)	Webinar | MF Lab
Tuesday, 20 February, 1:00 p.m. MST	Your British and Irish Research Questions Answered (Beginner)	Webinar | MF Lab
Wednesday, 21 February, 6:00 p.m. MST	Web Indexing and Training Review Event (1 and 1/2 hours) (Beginner)	Webinar | MF Lab
Thursday, 22 February, 1:00 p.m. MST	Exploring Census Records Using the Digital Archives of Norway (Beginner)	Webinar | MF Lab
Thursday, 22 February, 3:00 p.m. MST	African American Miniseries: Unique African American Records, Post 1865 (20 mins) (Beginner)	Webinar | MF B
Monday, 26 February, 10:00 a.m. MST	Using the FamilySearch Catalog Effectively (Beginner)	Webinar | MF Lab
Tuesday, 27 February, 11:00 a.m. MST	Starting Family Tree: Preserving Memories Using Photos and Documents (Beginner)	Webinar | MF Lab

About FamilySearch

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 5,000 family history centers in 129 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.