How I Found My Norwegian Ancestors. Getting started with Norwegian research, some local resources in Minnesota, how to find the place of origin, and how I found my distant cousins which led to a trip to Norway in 2014. Illustrated with photos.
Researching Romanian Ancestors in the U.S. How to proceed from the basics to the more complex, which generally (but not always) requires going in person to the Archives or hiring a professional researcher to conduct on-site investigations in Romania or a neighboring country.
Beginning to Research Your Ancestors in South St. Paul, Minnesota. Created for a local library presentation geared to people who are new to genealogy, this talk highlights the basics of research and what resources may be found in and around South St. Paul, including local libraries, the Minnesota Genealogy Center, the Dakota County Historical Society, and the Minnesota History Center.
Early Romanian Immigration to the Twin Cities, Minnesota. An overview of the influx of Romanian immigrants to the area at the turn of the 20th century: reasons for emigration, what was happening in the world, jobs, social and church life, migration patterns, some interesting vignettes. Optional inclusion of a presentation of the 1-hour documentary film, A Thousand Dollars and Back: Recollections of Early Romanian Immigration to Minnesota.
Romania: Much More than Dracula! General history and facts about Romania, famous Romanians, reasons to travel to Romania, travel photos and recommendations, and experiences researching in the Archives.
Researching East European Ancestors. Basic information to address challenges faced by beginning researchers. Discussion topics include church records and civil registrations, common challenges, sources to learn about the region(s) of interest, and how to find the desired records.
Why Were They Still Aliens? During WWI and WWII, foreign-born residents of the U.S. who had not become naturalized citizens had to register as aliens. Many of them had lived in this country for years. Why were they still aliens? Learn the basics of alien registration laws, what you might find in alien registration documents, and why your ancestor might not have immediately become a citizen. Examples will provide insights into new ways to look at your research problem.
Each talk is approximately one hour long and includes a PowerPoint presentation, and a handout is provided. These programs can be modified, and other topics may be requested.
Vicki Albu 