History Detectives – the cure for the genealogy blues…

I’ve been seriously working on my genealogy for nine years. The past few, I’ve been in and out of fervor. If a wall ends up being bricked, that’s a downer (last year.) A new record with new info, that’s a motivator. I taped my 78 year old uncle two months ago and got some new info, despite the fact that I’ve been hitting him up for family stories for a long time. Sometimes it takes something being said in just the right way or a different approach.

I need to transcribe the interview and follow up on it, and I’ve been a bit lazy. Never fear, History Detectives is here! Thank goodness my favorite PBS show is back! All it takes is one cool segment to get my genealogy blood pumping. Last night, it was a piece about study guide/poem booklet that a man in Chicago had in his collection. The Detectives figured out it came from a Creole school from the 1850s in New Orleans. Searching the census microfilm and pulling out some old attendence books from the school got my eyes blinking and head thinking. It was a very fascinating story. I think it takes some “fresh meat” to get me recharged, and History Detectives always is grilling it up.

I can’t wait till next week for more motivating stories. I’m going to be doing some tape transcribing this week. Thanks, Dr. Detectives!