As promised, I'm continuing to share RootsTelevision videos, and this one will be of particular interest to folks who are into genetic genealogy or thinking of trying it out. It features a clever use of mtDNA testing to get past a long-standing brick wall, and the man behind it is Bill Hurst, who's well known in the DNA community. As you watch, it might be worth pondering whether the same approach might not help knock down a brick wall or two in your own research.
If you enjoy this video, please check out the others I've uploaded so far, consider subscribing to this blog or YouTube channel so you can stay in the loop about new videos, and tell your genealogy buddies! Thanks!
Chris O'Dowd, star of the HBO/BBC mockumentary Family Tree -- brainchild of Christopher Guest and Jim Piddock (who's also in the show), answered some questions about the series and a variety of other topics. My favorite responses are below (and yes, I'm biased because he was kind enough to address my question!), but there's more where this came from at HBO Connect.
You can find Family Tree on HBO on Sundays at 10:30 p.m.
Several years ago, I conducted extensive genealogical research into the heritage of Michelle Obama. A few of my discoveries – particularly those pertaining to the Shields branch of her family tree – made news a couple of years ago, but there’s much that I’ve never shared, so I’ve decided to blow the dust off of a video I made back in August 2009.
This is a simple, homemade video – a narrated PowerPoint – and subsequent research has revealed more than what’s included here (for more insight, please read this recent, seven-part series and/or the “Finding Melvina” and “Road to a First Lady’s Roots” chapters of my book, Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing), but I hope you’ll enjoy this overview of the remarkable family history of our First Lady.
Michelle Obama's Ancestors: Chicago Beginnings (part 1) Michelle Obama's Ancestors: The Great Migration (part 2) Michelle Obama's Ancestors: The Great Mixing (part 3) Michelle Obama's Ancestors: LaVaughn Johnson (part 4) Michelle Obama's Ancestors: Fraser Robinson (part 5) Michelle Obama's Ancestors: Rebecca Jumper (aka Coleman) (part 6)