Gen-Fed Administration

Limited Seats Open for Virtual Gen-Fed 2021

March 15, 2021

Gen-Fed is going to be virtual in 2021! Although we will miss the in-person experience of researching at NARA, the virtual schedule may interest you. Typical years at Gen-Fed include about 18 lectures, plus tours to the Library of Congress and Archives II, plus research time at the repository. There will also be cameos from satellite NARA archives! Archivists will be available to talk to students at lunchtimes during the week, and some instructors will be introducing hands-on exercises to give students a feel for working in the records. Topics will range from military records, immigration records, federal land records, to African American records – all available at the National Archives.

Gen-Fed 2021 will take place from 19-24 July and the cost of the virtual institute is $575, the same as the in-person program in 2020.

With such wide-ranging content, Gen-Fed is going to open 8 additional seats.

Registrants for those 8 seats will be chosen through a randomly drawn lottery.

Enter your name for a chance at registration on or before Monday, March 22nd by midnight, Eastern Standard Time.

Email to info@gen-fed.org
Include in the subject: Gen-Fed 2021 Registration Lottery
In the email include your name, address, email address and phone number. Indicate that by entering the lottery you are willing to pay the institute registration fee of $575 and will be available from 19-24 July for the program.
All entrants will be notified on March 23rd. If chosen, payment will be expected within 30 business days.

Thank you and we hope to see you join us in July!

Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, CGL
Director, Genealogical Institute on Federal Records

Gen-Fed 2021

February 9, 2021

The Genealogical Institute of Federal Records 2020 session was cancelled due to travel restrictions and the closing of the National Archives (NARA) in Washington, D.C., last year. This year, unfortunately, in the wake of continuing travel restrictions and repository shutdowns, it is unlikely that NARA will be open, or not open to full capacity. We sincerely appreciate the concerns and precautions that the Archives has to make in these difficult circumstances.

We now announce that the 2021 Genealogical Institute on Federal Records will be held virtually this year. We are grateful to have the full support of the instructors and NARA staff. Because we will take less time in travelling to other repositories, we are taking the opportunity to add lectures and new topics to the program this year. Gen-Fed will take a total of 50 students this year.

However, it is unlikely that formal registration will be held for this event. The students originally registered for 2020 have first priority. They have the option to defer to 2022. Gen-Fed waitlists do not carry over from year-to-year, but there is a already a waitlist that is still part of the 2020 registration cycle, which will be given next priority until the session fills. If there is capacity after that, an announcement will be made at least 10 days prior to the opening of registration.

Thank you – stay safe and well,

Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG®, CGL^SM, Director Darcie Hind Posz, CG®, Assistant Director

Photo credit R. Koford

Gen-Fed Assistant Director Announced

October 2, 2020

The Board of the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) and new Director, Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG®, CGL^SM, are pleased to announce that Darcie Hind Posz, CG®, will serve as the new Assistant Director of the institute, effective October 1, 2020.

Darcie Hind Posz, CG, has been a board-certified genealogist since 2013 and attended Gen-Fed (then NIGR) in 2007. She said, “Attending NIGR (now Gen-Fed) in 2007, provided me with the foundational tools to navigate and understand the intricate and delicate system that is Federal records.”

In 2015, she was the recipient of the American Society of Genealogists Scholar Award. She is a ProGen Study Groups alumnus (ProGen 12) and was the ProGen 23 coordinator. She has previously served as President of the National Capital Area Chapter of APG, which received the Golden Chapter Award, and has served a term on the APG Board of Directors. She serves now as a trustee for the Board for Certification of Genealogists®.

An author, her work has been published in The Genealogist, The American Genealogist, National Genealogical Society Quarterly, The California Nugget, MASSOG: A Genealogical Magazine for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Maryland Genealogical Society Journal, The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, Rhode Island Roots and the North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal. She co-authored the chapter on lineage applications with Barbara J. Mathews, CG, FASG, in Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards and has published two books, The Chicago Stones: A Genealogy of Acquisition, Influence & Scandal in and Recast: Vital Events Published in Variety in 1918 and 1919.

She currently resides with her husband in downtown, Washington, D.C. Welcome, Darcie, we are lucky to have you!

Passing The Baton

October 1, 2020

22nd Asian Athletics Championships (cc by sa); licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

October 1, 2020, marks a new beginning in many corners of the genealogical community and Gen-Fed is no exception. I am happy today to pass the baton to Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, CGL, the new Director of Genealogical Institute of Federal Records.

I am reluctant to start naming individuals who have helped make my time with Gen-Fed so rewarding and downright fun—from the leaders who served on the Board, to the faculty who gave so generously of their time and energy, to the attendees who shared their excitement, and the staff at NARA who went above and beyond—but a special appreciation goes to Debra A. Hoffman who supported the institute and me every day.

The seeds for today’s successful program were sown in the 1980s by Lynn McMillion and Marie Melchiori, then nurtured by Claire Bettag and Patricia Shawker. It has been an honor to follow them. If you are not familiar with the institute’s rich history, you can read about it here.

As with any good baton exchange, there’s a period of overlap and Debra and I will be working closely with Rebecca in the months to come. And rooting her on the rest of the way!

Malissa Ruffner

Cancellation of Gen-Fed 2020

May 12, 2020

Gen-Fed 2020 has been cancelled. The public health risk in the Capitol region remains high and NARA, the Library of Congress and the DAR Library are still closed. Although re-opening may begin slowly in the coming weeks, operational guidelines would negatively impact the unique experience offered by Gen-Fed and place extra demands on the repositories we value. We are also deeply concerned about the interstate travel necessitated by going forward.

On to 2021: we have reserved the Innovation Hub at NARA for the week of July 19–23, 2021, and will carry over our 2020 registration roll, including the waiting list, for next year. 2020 registrants have been notified by email of their options. New registrations will not be taken in 2021.

Holding in-person genealogical events offers so much opportunity for growth and fellowship. Let’s hope we can get back to all the things and people we love very soon. Being at the National Archives, working with faculty, classmates, and the wonderful staff, and applying classroom lessons on the spot, are what makes Gen-Fed unique. It is an experience worth waiting for! Here’s to clear skies and better days. Stay safe and well.

Gen-Fed Board Appoints Koford Next Director

October 15, 2019

The Board of the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) announced the appointment of Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG®, CGL^SM, as new Director of the institute, effective October 1, 2020. She will take over from the current directors, Malissa Ruffner and Debra Hoffman, after a year of transition.

Koford is the Executive Director of the Board for Certification of Genealogists^®and the administrator of the ProGen Study Group, an online peer-led study program. She also coordinates Course I for The Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research (IGHR). She has lectured at national conferences and has contributed to numerous publications. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of California, Redlands. She and her husband live in Mt. Airy, Maryland, where they raised three children.

“Rebecca will bring extensive knowledge of federal records as well as her immense administrative skill to Gen-Fed. Debra and I look forward to working with her over the next year to ensure a smooth transition,” said Malissa Ruffner.

“Attending this institute was a critical turning point in my education,” said Koford. “I am pleased to have a chance to be a part of Gen-Fed and continuing its wonderful tradition.”

Gen-Fed 2020 is set for the week of July 13–17. Online registration will be held on Saturday, February 22, 2020.

Gen-Fed Alumni Announces 2022 Scholarship

September 27, 2019

The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) Alumni Association is sponsoring the Richard S. Lackey Scholarship in 2022. The Gen-Fed Alumni Association’s purpose is to promote, conduct, and foster education, research, study, and analysis related to genealogy and to disseminate information and support other similar undertakings.

Richard S. Lackey (1921–1983) of Mississippi was a leader in the drive to improve the professionalization of the genealogical community. In addition to lecturing and teaching, he was an author/compiler of standards for genealogical writing, and of Mississippi source material. His work exemplified the highest standards of competent research and scholarly citation of sources. His books Cite Your Sources: A Manual for Documenting Family Histories and Genealogical Records (1980) and Write it Right (1983), co-authored with Donald R. Barnes, promote proper documentation of sources within family histories and genealogical papers. At the time of his death, Richard was President of the Board for Certification of Genealogists^®.

The scholarship is awarded annually to an experienced researcher active in a paid or volunteer position which directly benefits the genealogical community. This year the scholarship will award $1000, which covers full tuition for the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed), and partly defrays hotel and/or meal costs. Provided the public health situation allows it, the Gen-Fed Alumni Association will also provide dinner at the Gen-Fed Alumni Banquet on Friday night, Aug 12, 2022, where a check for the amount less tuition will be presented to the recipient.

Nancy Calhoun, our 2017 scholarship recipient says, “Receiving the Lackey Scholarship has not only benefited me but also the genealogy and local history staff at Muskogee Public Library and the patrons we assist. We never know what people are going to request. The training received will assist us in being better equipped to search out that information in the vast collections of National Archives.”

For more information about the Institute, visit www.gen-fed.org. The application can be downloaded from the Scholarships page.

All applications and additional attachments must be submitted in PDF format, combined in one file. The completed application form and attachments should be emailed to Jonathan

Deiss at jdeiss@soldiersource.com with “Lackey Scholarship 2022” in the subject line. The PDF file name should include your last name and first initial, such as “DoeJ Lackey Scholarship 2022 Application.”

A complete application must be received by midnight, (EST) 31 December 2021. The winner will be notified by 15 February 2022. Other applicants will be notified shortly after that date. The scholarship winner will automatically be accepted for the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records to be held at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., from Aug 8–13, 2022.

2019 Gen-Fed Banquet will feature A’Lelia Bundles

May 28, 2019

The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records Alumni Association (Gen-Fed Alumni Association) will hold its Annual Banquet on Friday, August 2, 2019, at the Vantage Point Restaurant, Holiday Inn Rosslyn, in Arlington, Virginia. The traditional post-institute gathering offers the Class of 2019 an opportunity to meet area alumni and a beautiful evening view of Washington, D.C.

We are pleased to welcome Ms. A’Lelia Bundles as our guest speaker. Her talk is entitled “Genealogy Gens: Discovering Our Family Legacies in Unexpected Places.”

A’Lelia Bundles is the author of On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C. J. Walker, a biography of her great-great-grandmother. This New York Times Notable Book is in production as a four-part Netflix series starring Octavia Spencer and scheduled to air in early 2020. She is at work on her fifth book, The Joy Goddess of Harlem: A’Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance, about her great-grandmother whose parties and arts patronage helped define the era. Ms. Bundles is the brand historian for Madam C. J. Walker Beauty Culture, a line of hair care products manufactured by Sundial Brands and sold exclusively at Sephora. A former network television news executive and Emmy-award winning producer at ABC News and NBC News, she is a vice chairman of Columbia University’s Board of Trustees and immediate past chair of the board of the National Archives Foundation. She founded the Madam Walker Family Archives and is on the advisory boards of the March on Washington Film Festival and the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute.

The cash bar opens at 6:00 PM, followed by dinner at 7:00 PM, and the program at 8:00 PM.

Seating is limited; parking is $5.00.

Holiday Inn Rosslyn, 1900 North Fort Myer Drive, Arlington, VA 22209.

To make a reservation online, visit the Members’ Corner and pay via PayPal or download a registration form and mail it with your check: 2019 Gen-Fed Banquet Registration Do not delay! Deadline for reservations is Monday, July 29, 2019, or until it sells out.

Gen-Fed 2019 Program

February 20, 2019

David S. Ferriero, Archivist of the United States, gives welcoming remarks to begin the week-long Gen-Fed institute at the National Archives in Washington, DC, on July 10, 2017.

The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records has announced its 2019 list of lecturers and topics for the week-long course to be held at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and College Park, Maryland, from July 29–August 2, 2019. Among those presenting are NARA staff members (current and retired), and expert genealogists, researchers, and historians from a variety of backgrounds. The Innovation Hub at NARA-DC, on Pennsylvania Avenue, located within the Robert M. Warner Research Center on the first floor, offers proximity to archivists and records and serves as the institute’s home base. more “Gen-Fed 2019 Program” …

Gen-Fed 2019 Details Announced

November 3, 2018

The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) 2018, held July 16–21 at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., was another great week of learning and camaraderie. Attendees used words like exceptional and excellent and amazing to describe the experience but this comment best captures the unique quality of Gen-Fed:

“It was such a privilege to embed ourselves for the week in the nation’s attic.”

Even with a busy program schedule, many participants had tangible research success, as documented on our Tales of Discovery page. Our photo album is here.

The next Institute is set for July 29–August 2, 2019, with an optional visit to the DAR Library on Saturday, August 3. Details are here. Online registration will be held on Saturday, February 23, 2019. Tuition has been set at $550. Two scholarship opportunities are still available: the Richard S. Lackey Scholarship (December 31, 2018 deadline) and the AncestryProGenealogists Scholarship (November 30, 2018 deadline). Read about both opportunities here.

To receive more announcements about next year’s program, enter your email address in the “subscribe” box on the bottom right of the institute website, https://www.gen-fed.org.