Writing a Local, Personal, or Family History

Red Mountain Park has long celebrated the history of Birmingham’s industrial beginnings. It is with this love of history that we offer this program designed to teach you how to discover your own family history. This program is for anyone interested in how to use public resources to trace local and family histories. You do not need to have any prior family history research experience.

In this presentation, Dr. Robert S. Davis, a Genealogy and History researcher, speaker, and Alabama Humanities Alliance Road Scholar, will cover the reasons for needing to record or recover the past, means of obtaining information and methods of saving or presenting the information. He will also discuss the differences between family history and genealogy, as well as the specifics and importance of different kinds of documentation, including even exploring when and why a legend is not accurate.

Red Mountain played an integral role in Birmingham’s origin story. Families and communities have lived on and around Red Mountain long before Red Mountain Park existed. Their footsteps can still be seen in the landscape from mine entrances to vernal pools (former pig pits), making Red Mountain Park the perfect backdrop for this program. Whether your family has generational ties to the area or not, we hope you’ll join us as we learn how to build richer family histories!

Robert Scott “Bob” Davis is director of the Family and Regional History Program, Wallace State Community College, Hanceville, Alabama. His program pioneers local and family history research in a college environment. The American Association for State and Local History gave his program the Outstanding Leadership in History Award of merit for 2006.

Dr. Davis holds a Master of Education degree in history from North Georgia College and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His has more than 1,000 publications on records and research include a number of books and more than 100 articles and reviews in professional historical, library, education, and archival journals

Accessibility: This program will be held in a covered pavilion with ADA accessible restrooms available. There is a short gravel path with a slight incline to the pavilion area.

Disclaimer: This program has limited seating available. Please register to attend. Please email programs@jeffcogreenways.org if you are unable to attend.