Kitchen Round Table Talks
The Arkansas Genealogical Society is excited to announce the launch of a new Zoom forum called “Kitchen Round Table Talks.” Each month, we will select a genealogical topic or application to engage in a lively discussion among a group of participants online. To encourage participation, we limit the number of attendees, therefore, registration is required. In the event of a high demand for a specific topic, we can arrange an additional meeting to accommodate more participants.
We eagerly invite individuals to suggest topics of interest and encourage volunteers to lead discussions on subjects they are particularly passionate about. It is important to note that this initiative is a work in progress, and we anticipate making adjustments based on trial and error. Your participation and feedback are invaluable as we refine our approach.
To secure your spot, please register through the link below:
| DNA Oddities: The Strange Truth About DNA Tue May 20, 6:30 pm | DNA and biological reproduction are more complex than most people realize. Misunderstandings about how DNA is inherited can lead to false assumptions and confusing, seemingly contradictory results. This presentation reveals fascinating and little-known facts about DNA that are crucial for interpreting unexpected genetic findings. Topics include: the importance of centimorgans, DNA crossovers, vanishing twin syndrome, chimeras, and the impact of endogamy. Technical detail and jargon will be kept to a minimum, making these concepts accessible to all. To register for this event please use this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/8a4cRDcnRASgNjgBiEFqWg Scott Lee is a retired software engineer that has researched his family history since 1979. He has served as an officer in several genealogical societies and lectures on genealogical topics. Currently, he is president of the Arkansas Genealogical Society. In 1995, he helped design the GEDCOM 5.5 standard for transporting genealogical data, improving its syntax to be more easily read by software and fixing several issues in date specifications. He created the calendar conversion website rosettacalendar.com and his date manipulation library (sdncal20) is used by many software packages including PHP which is used in more than half of all websites. Scott grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, but his work took him to Indiana, Oregon, North Carolina, and New York City. In retirement, he, and his wife, Deirdre, have returned to their families in Arkansas. His career included the medical field, engineering computer graphics, and consulting in the process of building reliable software. In retirement, he is working in the design of deep learning neural networks and software for genealogy. In his spare time, he enjoys writing science fiction, studying ancient calendars, writing open source software, keeping up with the latest advances in physics and astronomy, and of course researching his family history. |
| Ancestral Enslavers and the Enslaved – Mica L. Anders Tue Jun 17, 6:30 pm | Please join us for our free Zoom presentation! It’s all about blending rigorous research with storytelling. We dig deep into archives, pore over old documents, and piece together the puzzles of the past. Then Mica and her team transform those findings into something special – whether that’s a family history narrative that brings your ancestors to life or a museum exhibit that reshapes how we see our local history. To register for this event please use this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/J7huq-qyQ06T1XtZweiJwg Mica Anders is the driving force behind Anders Genealogical Services.com. https://www.andersgenealogicalservices.com/ She is passionate about uncovering the rich, often overlooked stories of our past. With a focus on African American and Midwestern U.S. genealogy, she has worked with clients and organizations in the U.S., Canada, Jamaica, and the UK, bringing underrepresented stories to light. As a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the first ever history fellow at the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum, and recipient of the 2023 Minnesota Genealogical Society Pioneer Award, she upholds the highest standards in her research. Her dedication and expertise make her a sought-after collaborator for projects that bring forgotten histories to life. |
| WikiTree – Elaine Martzen Tuesday, July 15, 2025 at 6:30 PM CDT | WikiTree is a genealogy website that allows users to research and contribute to family trees while building and collaborating on a singular worldwide family tree within the same system. WikiTree is free for users and financed via advertisements displayed to unregistered users. The site is owned and hosted by founder’s company, Interesting.com, Inc. As of October 2023, the WikiTree website claimed that the site had more than 1 million registered members and contained more than 36 million profiles of people, with over 12 million profiles of people who should share a detectable amount of DNA with tested site members, their deceased relatives, or those whose remains have been tested posthumously. To register for this event, please use this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/QgZuenZMTAiu-fEZ0e7KQQ Elaine Martzen began her association with WikiTree in 2016. She will present us with an overview of WikiTree, an absolutely free genealogical research tool. She has primarily worked on the US Black Heritage Project, Jewish Roots Project, and the Holocaust Project. Lately, she has been completing (almost done!) the re-categorization of the Holocaust Project, after a very helpful series of G2G exchanges from people all over the world. She also participates in many of the Challenge weeks and captains Team L’Chaim for WikiTree thons. |
| “Libraries, Societies & Archives: Support ‘em, Use’em , or Lose ‘em” – Mary Evans Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at 6:30 PM CDT | Why do libraries and museums have sign-in sheets when you come in? Because they constantly need to prove they should exist! Over & over again. If people are not coming in “using” them, then what is their future? All genealogists KNOW (or should know/ better know) that NOT everything is online. If these wonderful resources or repositories fail, then what happens to the records? They need your admission fees, membership renewals, and a response to their fundraisers! What can we do to help? Join Mary Evans, a driving force in the Arkansas genealogical community, to discuss the importance of these vital resources! To Register, please use this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/9xJrthRPTIWeRcmrbDmrhg Mary has participated in genealogy since she was a small girl in the family barn in Eastern Washington County and Carroll County, Arkansas. She spent hours in the barn in an old trunk full of land deeds, photographs, letters & family artifacts. She is the current keeper of this same trunk with all the contents- near & dear to her heart. In 1980 she decided to start interviewing – writing down- all the old folks while they were still “available.” Her “Arkansas History Commission” card is dated 1982. She has attended many FGS, IGHR, NGS, GRIP, SLIG, TIGR, App Gen, Family History Academy & other smaller state workshops. She started going to the Heritage Seekers Genealogy Club (Little Rock) about 2004. Currently, she is secretary, gopher, all-purpose, and email person. She also previously served on the Board for AGS. |
| Navigating PERSI – A Free Research Tool – Anne Orsi Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at 6:30 PM CDT | Register Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/dOAGu_stSh2Y29mcvIzs1w |
| Expert Advice for Writing Your Family History – Carla Maitland Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at 6:30 PM CDT | Learn expert tips from a professional writer in the Genealogy field, Carla Maitland. Carla is currently the President of the Tennessee Genealogical Society and is generously willing to share her expertise, detailing the methods of writing your own story and that of your ancestors. Register Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/fvKI4jnlTXObuCodSDsP9g In her own words: I have several years of experience in researching family history for myself and for others. My true passion is writing about the findings that result from the investigative procedure. I enjoy giving presentations about those experiences and about other historical events and research techniques, often speaking to various genealogical groups and lineage societies in the Greater Memphis and Mid-South Area. I am currently involved in presenting webinars for the Tennessee Genealogical Society. I’m an active member of a number of genealogical and historical societies: the Tennessee Genealogical Society, the Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society, the West Tennessee Historical Society, the Memphis Scottish Society, Clan Maitland Society of North America, the Celtic Society of West TN, the Southern California Genealogical Society, the Illinois Genealogical Society, the Indiana Genealogical Society, the Fairfax County Genealogical Society, and the New England Historical and Genealogical Society. My lineage society memberships include: the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the United States Daughters of 1812, the National Huguenot Society, the Huguenot Society of the Founders of Manakin in the Colony of Virginia, and the National Society Daughters of the Union, 1861 – 1865. |
| Benjamin Cobb: From Enslavement to Landowner – Jessica Fontana Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 6:30 PM CDT | More details soon! Register Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UgbgSd7xTASjgxPxjxBtQQ |
| Share your Family Heritage Recipes – Mary Baxley Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at 6:30 PM CDT | More details soon! Register Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/jWdd7creRby6YFITU3RQ2Q |
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