Hey Everyone,
This is somewhat out of character for me, but after much debate, I’ve decided to share some thoughts. I think that those of you who know me even in the virtual sense are well aware that I’m a dedicated genealogist who loves what I’ve been doing for almost four decades now. I try my best to get the g-word out there and to contribute to the field that is both a passion and profession for me. To this end, I have:
· Given more than 135 monthly Honoring Our Ancestors grants to support genealogical projects of all stripes (May will be the 11th anniversary)
· Furnished a decade of forensic consulting to the U.S. Army, locating thousands of family members of unaccounted for soldiers from past conflicts in support of the military’s “no man left behind” efforts
· Provided RootsTelevision.com with roughly a thousand videos (including a number of original productions) to the genealogical community for free for 4.5 years
· Founded the Unclaimed Persons volunteer group (now ably managed by Skip Murray, Janis Martin, and until recently, Keri Maurus) to assist coroners and medical examiners locate and notify next of kin for unclaimed decedents
· Written five books and countless articles, as well as travelled coast to coast (and to several other countries), sharing what I’ve learned
· Helped the FBI and NCIS with cold cases
· Conducted research for roughly a dozen television shows that bring genealogy to a wider audience
I am a freelance researcher who has done this without corporate support or sponsorship because of my love of genealogy. In many respects, I consider myself to be among the most fortunate in our field. I’ve had unimaginable opportunities, but I also work incredibly hard. To give you some sense, I averaged 19.5 hours/day, 7 days/week on the last TV show I worked on. Mind you, I loved every minute, but there is definitely an element of “luck = opportunity + hard work” in my life.
So why am I saying this now? Well, this week has been rough – one of those “no good deed goes unpunished” phases that we all experience from time to time. First, I am sad to announce that I have decided that it’s in my best interests to close the Roots Television website. Although to you the Roots Television name has meant a library of free genealogical videos, for me, the name has unfortunately been a continuing source of conflict since its creation. At this time, I’ve decided that I can’t justify further efforts to sustain the name on top of the investment I’ve already made. I know from traffic and streaming figures that many of you have spent untold hours watching the programming offered, so I sincerely hope that you’ve enjoyed it as much as I’ve enjoyed providing it.
Second, I know that many in the genealogical community have encountered the ugly commentary of my cyber-stalker this week. Some of you have even received direct emails and phone calls. Knowing that my fellow genealogists are excellent sleuths, I am going to make one suggestion: use your skills to research him. Once you do, you will have a fuller appreciation of the situation and why I have chosen not to respond to his numerous, unfounded accusations. Given who’s reading this, I realize it’s not necessary to share his name, and as you might imagine, I prefer not to.
To all of you who have been so supportive of me in so many ways, thank you for your friendship. I look forward to another four decades (think I’m pushing my luck?!) in your company.
Warmly,
Megan
