Over the past four years, I’ve been spending time in Ironton, Ohio—the place where my grandmother was born, where generations of my family lived, loved, worked, and built their lives. Even though I’ve never lived there myself… every visit feels like coming home. There’s a kind of magic in walking the very ground my ancestors

Since launching Finding Deep Roots: The Workbook, we’ve seen families use it to begin powerful conversations, document forgotten names, and bring generations together through the shared experience of research. The Workbook is more than just pages — it’s a tool for healing, understanding, and reclaiming what time tried to bury. With structured prompts, a three-generation

Genealogy can feel overwhelming — especially when you don’t know where to begin. You may have handwritten notes scattered across notebooks, half-remembered family stories, names without dates, and documents buried in drawers or lost online. There are gaps, conflicting details, and moments when you feel stuck — like you’re reading a book with missing chapters.

Two years ago, we launched Finding Deep Roots: The Workbook — a tool designed to help families organize, document, and preserve their history. Since then, it’s helped people across the country trace their roots, start conversations with elders, and bring generations together. We hear it all the time: “If I only had this tool when

Pedigree charts don’t always connect perfectly. Some branches end abruptly; others have missing names or uncertain links — gaps that can feel discouraging. But don’t allow those spaces to impede your forward progress. Genealogy is not about perfection — it’s about persistence. Every record you uncover, every interview you conduct, and every clue you document

Pedigree is your ancestral line — your lineage, your legacy. It’s the path that connects you to those who came before, generation by generation. But tracing that path isn’t always simple. Every researcher encounters roadblocks — missing records, name changes, or documents lost to time. Some challenges take days to overcome, while others may take

Pedigree is your ancestral line — your lineage, your legacy. But building a pedigree chart isn’t always easy. There may be gaps, missing names, or documents that seem just out of reach. The road can be long and full of roadblocks — especially for those researching African American ancestry. Every breakthrough is worth it. Every

This summer, I had the privilege of tracing my family’s roots back through Charlottesville, Virginia. What began with the 1880 U.S. Census led me further into history, reaching as far back as the 1833 Virginia Census. Each record uncovered another layer of resilience and determination within my ancestry. I discovered Free Persons of Color who

Ancestor — a person from whom you are descended. Our ancestors are more than names on a chart — they are the foundation of who we are. Their journeys, choices, and sacrifices shaped the lives we live today. That’s why documenting your family history is pivotal — not just for the past, but for future

Hello, Shawna here! I often think about my great-grandmother, Martha. As a child, I would sit at the edge of her bed, listening intently as she shared stories of her childhood—of growing up with her parents and siblings, of the struggles they endured, and the love that carried them through. She would pull out old