10 Reasons to Attend the 41st National AAHGS Conference

Researching family history in 2020 is very different from 30 years ago.  Today you can access many records online.  You can email librarians around the world with the questions you have and receive a reply sometimes the same day.  When it used to take weeks to get records mailed to you, now it only takes a few days.  With all the technology available to you, one would ask “Why it is important to go to a genealogy conference?”  There are many benefits to attending a genealogy conference, including revitalizing your research, interacting with other like-minded family historians, and getting out of your comfort zone.  If you still need a little convincing, here are ten reasons you should start making plans now to attend the AAHGS 2020 National Conference in Hampton, Virginia.

1.       Family Reunion – AAHGS 2020 will have activities for families to reconnect with each other while during the conference and once you return home.

2.       Find your distant cousins and reconnect your family dots – AAHGS National Conference is an excellent opportunity to meet up with cousins and share your research. 

3.       Help New Researchers and Historians - You will have the opportunity to meet new researchers and brainstorm about new research ideas.  Bring your brick walls and talk with other family historians to get a fresh set of eyes on new research ideas.

4.       Access to Workshops and Keynote Speakers – AAHGS brings in nationally recognized authors, lecturers, and bloggers within the genealogy community for keynote speakers and workshop presenters.

5.       Gather new techniques and ideas that can strengthen your research journey – Learn the latest research methods and technology within the genealogy community.

6.       Research at Virginia Public Library – Special Collections has 400 years of Hampton history, including city directories, local newspapers on microfilm, maps, and county wills, deeds, and vital records.

7.       Become Inspired – AAHGS brings together new and experienced researchers.  You will get to hear how some have successfully traced their enslaved ancestors, and others have found documents from the 1800s to break down a brick wall. 

8.       Family Day – AAHGS Family Day will include activities to help families learn about their family history and their ancestors' legacies.

9.       Walk the lands where your ancestors came ashore – Virginia is where our ancestors landed in 1619.  Virginia is rich in 400 years of African American History.  AAHGS will allow you to learn more about that history and celebrate our ancestors.

10.   Learn about DNA – DNA is what everyone is talking about.  Learn how to use the results from your genetic DNA test to build out your family tree.

AAHGS Annual National Conference will be held on October 14 – 17, 2020, in Hampton, Virginia, at the Hampton Roads Convention Center.  The theme of this year's conference is Virginia, Where African American Roots Run Deep – Correcting the National Narrative. 

The AAHGS Annual Conference is the largest international African American conference.  Our conference promotes family history, genealogy, and cultural diversity by bringing together subject matter experts, promote scholarly research, and providing resources for historical and genealogical studies.  Whether you started researching your family history last week or 25 years ago, this conference will meet you where you are and give you the tools to be a successful researcher. Register here!