Discover Your Roots, Tell Your Story

What to Expect:

• Learn how to research primary and secondary sources to uncover your family history.

• Explore your ancestry and discover fascinating stories about your relatives (no guarantees how far back you’ll go!).

• Develop interviewing skills to talk with family members and document their stories.

• Learn to interpret records, newspapers, and cemetery information to piece together your family’s past.

• Gain insights into U.S. and world history through the lens of your family’s experiences.

• Understand that not all records exist—some were lost in fires, wars, or natural disasters (e.g., the 1890 U.S. Federal Census, certain WWII combat records).

Club Activities:

• Scrapbook your family memories—supplies provided, just bring your photos!

• Field trips to cultural and historical sites, such as:

  • Newberry Library

  • Chicago History Museum

  • DuSable Museum

  • Chinese American Museum

  • Chinatown

  • Mexican Museum of Art

  • ISAC Museum at University of Chicago

  • Museum of Science and Industry
    (One field trip per semester.)

Resources You Can Use (Free Access Provided by Ms. Piemonte):

• Ancestry.com – digitized records from around the world

• Newspapers.com – historical newspapers nationwide

• GenealogyBank.com – obituaries and other public records

• Fold3.com – military records

• Find A Grave.com – largest cemetery database

• FamilySearch.org – create your own family trees for free

DNA Opportunity:

• With parental permission or fundraising, purchase a DNA kit to learn where your ancestors came from.

• Kits on sale at Ancestry.com for $59. Discover maps, ancestral regions, and potential family members or cousins.

• Focus on past relatives—never share personal information with strangers.

Why Join Ms. Piemonte’s Genealogy Club?

• Ms. Piemonte has been researching her family since high school.

• She has interviewed family members, documented stories and photos, and created scrapbooks.

• She has mastered research both in libraries and online.

• Her personal Ancestry.com tree includes nearly 20,000 names.

• She has contributed 4,700 memorials and 9,371 photos to Find A Grave.com.

• As a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, she traced direct lineage to a Revolutionary War patriot.

• She understands the challenges and joys of discovering your family history, helping students navigate the Good, Bad, and Ugly of family stories.

Club Details:

• Sponsor: Ms. Piemonte | Email: jpiemonte@pths209.org

• Meeting Room: 239

• Meeting Day: Wednesdays, 3:30–5:00 PM