Calendar of Events

Groucho Marx once said, "If you've heard this story before, don't stop me, because I'd like to hear it again." Join Shelly O'Foran for a conversation on the power of storytelling to hold and transmit narrative history in a way that other forms of documentation simply cannot. During her PhD research, O'Foran collected an oral history of a small Black church in rural Alabama that was burned down in 1996, almost certainly by arson. As a middle-income, white, suburban outsider in this low-income, segregated, rural community, O'Foran bridged those demographic gaps to collect and share more than 100 years in the life of Little Zion: A Church Baptized by Fire.

After the presentation, members are encouraged to share their experiences conducting oral histories.

Monday, October 27

Introduction to the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society (MAGS) and Its Online Database (SMCGS Monthly Meetings)

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

ZOOM meeting

Bob Greiner of MAGS will describe the variety of genealogical collections that MAGS has indexed and that are searchable by name in the database on the MAGS website. These collections include a variety of unique records from churches and institutions, U.S. Department of State consulates in Germany, U.S. government military pensions, and emigration notices from German legal newspapers. He will also present other features available on the MAGS website found at www.magsgen.com.

Monday, November 24

A Guide to Overseas Genealogy (SMCGS Monthly Meetings)

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

ZOOM meeting

Jacquie Schattner will tell why "crossing the pond" is easier than we think. She'll review the history of immigrant travel into the U.S. and how to find genealogical records in most European countries. Included will be a list of books and over 70 American and European websites for genealogical research. This presentation covers five areas of overseas genealogy - emigration, voyage details, immigration, naturalization and genealogical websites both American and European.

Monday, January 26, 2026

Marylanders to Kentucky (SMCGS Monthly Meetings)

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

ZOOM meeting

Eve Love will give an overview of the push and pull of the Maryland to Kentucky exodus in the late 1700s.

Monday, February 23, 2026

Finding African American Family in Southern Maryland (SMCGS Monthly Meetings)

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

ZOOM meeting

Donald Brown will share his experience in finding his and his wife's families in St. Mary's, Calvert and Anne Arundel Counties.

Monday, March 23, 2026

How To Write A Family History Book (SMCGS Monthly Meetings)

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

ZOOM meeting

Maybe it has always been a dream of your to create a book out of your research, but you have felt too overwhelmed to start. Rebecca Shamblin will help break this process down into simple, manageable steps. She will tell us abot the research process, what to include, how to turn facts into stories, how to organize your book, how to get it printed and how to share it.