Using Newspapers in Family Research - A Journalist's Perspective

Using Newspapers in Family Research - A Journalist's Perspective

Many veteran genealogists understand the importance of newspapers in family research. Journalist and family historian Jason Terrell will take you behind the scenes to talk about how the source many depend on is created and what’s most important to remember when it comes to diving into those pages in order to find your family’s past. You’ll not only learn about what great information can be gleaned from newspapers, but how to find these sources and what information you should trust and what might require a closer look.

Jason R. Terrell has been doing family research for 40+ years with a special focus on Native American Family research. A journalist with over 30 years experience at publications such as The Commercial Appeal and now The Daily Memphian, you might say that newspapers are in his blood as both his parents worked in the newsroom. He served for five years as Vice Chairman of the Editorial Board for the Cherokee Phoenix, the tribal newspaper of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, where he is an enrolled member. He taught visual journalism at his alma mater, the University of Memphis, for 15 years as an adjunct instructor. A member of the Tennessee Genealogical Society, Jason is also a former editor of it’s quarterly magazine, Ansearchin’ News, and is a member of the Trail of Tears Association - Tennessee and Alabama chapters. He publishes a blog at nativefamilyresearch.com where he writes about issues and strategies around finding one’s Native roots.