Featuring LeVar Burton

To learn more go to

rootstech.org

Friday, February 10, 2017, 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM Salt Palace Convention Center

RootsTech African Heritage Day

• Keynote speakers LeVar Burton, KenyattaBerry, Sherri Camp and Melvin Collier

• African and African American focusedfamily history classes

• 300+ Vendors• Performances by the Calvary Baptist

Church Choir and Jambo Africa /Heartbeat Burundi Drummers

Join us during RootsTech, the largest family history technology conference in the world, for:

“From Africa to America and Back: Celebrating the Journey and Practices that Connect Us to Our African Roots”

Join us in celebrating Black History Month at RootsTech African Heritage Day, on Friday, February 10, 2017, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City.

Starting in 2010 with just 2,000 attendees over two days, RootsTech, sponsored by FamilySearch International, has grown to the largest 4-day global family history and technology conference attracting tens of thousands of participants worldwide. RootsTech is about celebrating families across generations. People of all ages are inspired to discover and share their memories and make family connections. This year’s conference is from February 8 - 11, 2017

Friday, February 10, will be African Heritage Day at RootsTech. African Heritage Day will celebrate the connection of the people of Africa and those of African descent wherever they are in the world. Thanks to advances in modern technology, the explosion of DNA research, and the completion of initiatives like the Freedmen’s Bureau Project in 2016, African Americans, Africans, and those of African descent anywhere in the world have more tools at their disposal to enable them to connect with their roots. The organizers of RootsTech felt that this year, 2017, was the right year to set aside one of the days of the conference specifically to pay tribute to African heritage.

The theme for African Heritage Day is “From Africa to America and Back: Celebrating the Journey and Practices that Connect Us to Our African Roots.” It will be a day full of non-stop entertainment and education, from celebrity speakers to African American focused genealogy classes and ending with a cultural celebration.

RootsTech African Heritage Day

Keynote Speakers & Class SessionsAttendees will be treated to LeVar Burton, known for his role as Kunta Kinte in Roots, during the morning general session. He’ll be sharing some of his own journey of family, storytelling and the influence of African culture on his American experience. We will also have presentations during the general session by Kenyatta Berry, host of Genealogy Road Show, Sherri Camp, national president of the Afro-American Historical Genealogical Society, and Melvin Collier, author of Mississippi to Africa, A Journey of Discovery.

In addition to the speakers during the general session, there are four class sessions taught by world-renowned experts in African American genealogy and family history. Topics include how to get started as a newbie, tech resources available for African American research, overcoming African American genealogical challenges, to understanding DNA analysis. These instructors will teach how to unlock the door to your family's past and make connections with your heritage. These are just four of the dozens of classes offered at RootsTech on Friday.

Expo Hall & Vendors Get in on the action at RootsTech's giant expo hall. The expo hall is the place to discover helpful solutions, watch demonstrations, and interact with innovative family history technology. Come and see what more than 300 exhibitors from around the globe have to share, including sponsors like Ancestry, Findmypast and MyHeritage. In the expo hall, there’s something for everyone in the family to see or do.

Cultural PerformancesDuring the morning keynote session, attendees will be treated to the joyful noise and inspirational sounds of the Calvary Baptist Church Choir of Salt Lake City under the direction of Laura Eady. The day will conclude with a cultural celebration featuring the Jambo Africa/ Heartbeat Burundi Drummers, an all-male drum line cultural group that was formed in 2009 with the goal to spread awareness of peace from traditional African drum music.

Schedule for African Heritage Day7:00 AM Registration opens8:30 AM Keynote session begins10:00 AM Expo Hall opens11:00 AM Class sessions begin*

“Tech Resources to Begin African American Research” by Sherri Camp1:30 PM Class sessions begin

“African American Genealogy for Newbies” by Nicka Smith

3:00 PM Class sessions begin “Dealing with African American Genealogy Challenges” by Shelley Murphy

4:30 PM Class sessions begin“Identity by Descent: Using DNA to Extend the African-American Pedigree” by Shannon Christmas

5:30 PM Cultural celebration begins7:00 PM Cultural celebration ends* Additional African American and African focused class sessions are available on Thursday and Saturday at RootsTech. See the online schedule or RootsTech mobile app for more details on these and all the class sessions available during the conference.

Go to www.rootstech.org to learn more and to get registered