Social Media for Genealogists

Even if you can't attend our annual Genealogy Fair in Washington, DC, you can use social media to hear from subject matter experts at National Archives events

Are you thinking of starting to research your family tree? Or maybe you’re wondering how to use bounty land warrants to find your ancestors? Or do you’re confused on how to search immigration records? The National Archives has programs and resources for beginning and expert genealogists. And one way to use these resources, regardless of where you are in the world, is to use social media.

Twitter

Follow us @archivesnews. When Hurricane Irene was coming, we tweeted out links on how to keep your personal records safe. Follow us for genealogy workshop announcements at our National Archives locations across the country or for updates on the 1940 census. If it is a genealogy announcement, we use #genealogy. And feel free to tweet your questions to @archivesnews!

Blogs

The National Archives has 13 blogs to choose from, but genealogists will be especially interested in NARAtions. With NARA staff from across the nation contributing, this blog features posts on “Family Tree Friday” with all kinds of useful information for genealogists. We also like The Text Message–look over to the right-hand side of the page under “categories” and click on “genealogy” to bring up all the posts that might interest you.

Prologue magazine online

With over 15 years of “Genealogy Notes” now online, genealogists can search the Prologue magazine web site for fascinating articles listed by topic, including African Americans, the census, and prison records.

YouTube

In addition to archival footage from our holdings, the National Archives channel features the special series “Inside the Vaults.” And coming in September, a new playlist called “Know Your Records” will feature archivists and subject matter specialists discussing how and where to research our records, so that genealogists from across the country can have access to our experts’ knowledge.

Flickr

What did that battle site look like when your ancestor fought there during the Civil War? Search, browse, and share our large collection of photographs and records on our Flickr site.

Archives.gov

Our main website lists “Know Your Records” programs in Washington, DC, and across the country. And there’s a page to help point you in the right direction for your research.

And of course, we have lots of other social media tools at the National Archives, from Our Archives wiki to Facebook to five microblogs on Tumblr. Let us know there is anything you think we can do to make our social media tools more helpful to genealogists!

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