PHILADELPHIA, PA – This fall, The Historical Society of Pennsylvania in partnership with professional genealogist Sydney F. Cruice Dixon will host Foundations of Genealogy: Getting Started and Doing It Right the First Time, an eight-week course for family historians and genealogists seeking to become more effective and efficient researchers.

The course will run each Wednesday from September 27 to November 15 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at HSP’s historic library in Center City, Philadelphia.

During each course session, registrants will learn the skills and explore the resources necessary to build a solid foundation in genealogy research. Ms. Cruice Dixon will explore how to conduct proper research, discuss the advantages/disadvantages of online genealogy resources, examine which historical records can reveal the most about researchers’ family histories, and more.

Over the eight-week course, registrants will learn proven research methods to root out their most elusive ancestors, as well as how to document research findings with reliable evidence. Please click here to view the course syllabus (or right click to download).

For beginner and experienced genealogists alike, Foundations of Genealogy is designed to equip researchers with the fundamental knowledge and expertise to develop new skills on their own, wherever their research may take them – whether online or in-person at libraries and archives.

The course has been capped at 30 registrants, allowing for a much more personal experience than other genealogy workshops and seminars. In addition to its educational content, the course offers a social opportunity for registrants to learn and develop as researchers with other family historians and genealogists.

Computer literacy and an Ancestry.com subscription are required. Registrants are encouraged to bring their laptops/tablet if possible.

Tickets: $225 for Friends of HSP (individuals with a valid membership); $315 for general admission (includes a complimentary Friends of HSP Researcher membership valid for one year from the first date of the workshop)

Tickets are refundable until September 1. After that date, no refunds can be issued. We apologize for any inconvenience.

For more information about Foundations of Genealogy, please contact Christopher Damiani, HSP’s Director of Public Programs, at (215) 732-6200 ext. 227 or cdamiani@hsp.org