GenFest 2024

Genetics for the Genealogist, 10:30-11:15   Dr. Boissiere discusses basic genetics concepts, providing an understanding of consumer genetic testing such as 23andMe and AncestryDNA. Dr. Boissiere provides will provide an overview of her family history with a look at the questions answered and raised by adding the genetic analysis.

About the Presenter   Dr. Boissiere holds degrees in Biology from Xavier University of Louisiana (B.S.), and from Tulane University (M.S. and Ph.D.). Dr. Boissiere has been a faculty member at Xavier University since January 1994, where she is the Head of the Biology Department. Michelle is a lifelong resident of New Orleans, whose family has been in the area for eight generations. She is a devout Catholic and was awarded the Order of St. Louis Medallion by the Archdiocese of New Orleans for excellence in community service.

Collecting and Preserving Images, 11:30-12:15   Dr. Harrell discusses her book “Images of America: African Americans of Tangipahoa & St. Helena Parishes” in the context of collecting and preserving your family’s historic images. Her research has helped uncover the genealogy and history of many African-American families in the area.

About the Presenter  A genealogist, local historian, author, filmmaker, and community activist, Harrell’s genealogy research has been featured in national and international media. She was featured on VICE with a documentary entitled “Slavery Detective of the South”. Harrell was appointed Honorary Assistant Attorney General in 2003 for the State of Louisiana for her genealogy research. Collections have been established in her name at the Amistad Research Center in New Orleans, La., and the Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies.

Girod Cemetery: History and Records, 2:00-2:45    Cemetery preservation and restoration specialist Emily Ford discusses the history of this lost New Orleans Protestant cemetery, from creation to its shuttering in 1957, and how to search for interments before and after the cemetery closed.

About the Presenter Emily Ford is a cemetery preservationist, monumental mason, and writer of New Orleans cemetery history. She has worked in New Orleans cemeteries since 2011 and wrote her graduate thesis on historic craft in Lafayette Cemetery No. 1. Ms. Ford’s work focuses on empowering cemetery stakeholders in the care and preservation of their property. As Cemeteries Superintendent for the City of New Orleans, she has served hundreds of families in locating burial places, re-uniting with cemetery property, and connecting with cultural heritage.

Exploring the New Orleans Cemetery Database, 3:00-3:45   Professor Veneziano discusses and demonstrates the use of the New Orleans Cemetery Database, an online resource of free access to digitized versions of cemetery-related records housed at The Historic New Orleans Collection.

About the Presenter Heather Veneziano’s research and expertise are focused on cultural heritage sites, vernacular architecture and deathscapes, with a strong emphasis on historic preservation and placemaking. She has studied and documented socio-economic issues impacting burial practices and how inequities in life shape selective and collective memory after death. Her work also explores the narrative structure of place and how the built environment informs our understanding of the past. Her genealogical work is centered on cemetery studies through archival research and digital mapping.