The National Genealogical Society announces the Call for Papers for the 2012 Family History Conference, “The Ohio River: Gateway to the Western Frontier,” to be held 9–12 May 2012 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The deadline for submitting proposals is 1 April 2011.

The Ohio River has served as a major passageway for travelers and goods going west since the eighteenth century. It played a major role in the development and progress of Cincinnati, one of the early settlements on the river. Cincinnati overlooks northern Kentucky just across the river, and southeast Indiana is only a few miles to the west. There is an abundance of family history to discover in Cincinnati, "Queen City of the West": explorers, frontiersmen, pioneers, and immigrants. We are looking for lectures about the early migration into and out of the area, river travel, regional land and military subjects, nineteenth century ethnic immigration groups, and topics pertaining to African American research and the Underground Railroad. Lectures are also requested about the history, records, repositories, ethnic, and religious groups of Ohio, Kentucky (especially Northern Kentucky), and Indiana (especially southeastern Indiana).

Other general topics needed for the conference include methodology, skill building, problem solving, record analysis, federal records, family history writing, and technological innovation in genealogy.

Sessions are generally limited to fifty minutes plus a ten-minute question-and-answer session. Syllabus materials (PDF files), due in early 2012, are required for each lecture or workshop presentation.

Proposals should include
· speaker’s full name, address, telephone, fax number, and e-mail address;
· lecture title, not to exceed fourteen (14) words, and a brief but comprehensive outline;
· short summary of the lecture—word count not to exceed twenty-five words—to be used in the program, if selected;
· identification of the audience level: beginner, intermediate, or advanced;
· brief speaker biography, not to exceed twenty-five (25) words; and
· résumé of recent lectures the speaker has given (those who have not spoken previously at a regional or national conference are encouraged to submit an audio or video tape of a recent lecture).

Speakers are expected to use an electronic presentation program and provide their own digital projectors. NGS will provide the VGA cable, cart, and power strip projector support.

Individuals may submit up to eight (8) proposals. NGS members will be given first consideration. Speakers will receive a complimentary conference registration with CD syllabus. Honorarium, travel allowance, hotel accommodations, and per diem compensation are based on the number of lectures given. See the NGS website, http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/call_for_papers, for more details.

Interested individuals should submit proposals online through the NGS website at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/call_for_papers from 1 January to 1 April 2011.

Organizations wishing to sponsor a lecture or track of lectures at the 2012 Family History Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, please see the details and sponsor requirements at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/sponsor_a_session. Deadline for submission is 1 April 2011.

Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogy education, high research standards, and the preservation of genealogical records. The Arlington, Virginia-based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian, seeking excellence in publications, educational offerings, research guidance, and opportunities to interact with other genealogists. Please visit the NGS Pressroom for further information.

Contact: Julie Miller, cgSM
E-mail: jmiller@ngsgenealogy.org
Phone: (800) 473-0060