Denied Access to Their Own History

I founded Black Sheep Genealogy last year because I think history is important. And not only the kind you read in textbooks. There’s also your family’s history. The memories, places, language, religion, and stories that are passed down from generation to generation and help make you who you are.

It’s so important, and yet some folks don’t have access to it. That’s because hiring a genealogist is expensive. So too is subscribing to sites such as Ancestry. Even those services that cost nothing, such as FamilySearch and AncestryLibrary, require research skills to find and make sense of the records available there.

I’ve had to turn potential clients away because they did not have the means, and I don’t think that’s right. This is why I’m introducing a new cost-free service.

Every two months Black Sheep will choose one applicant to receive twenty hours of research and writing, a value of $1,000. Applications are accepted online here.

A point I make on that page is that genealogy is not only important for adults; it’s important for children, too. Academic research demonstrates the importance of historical narrative in young people’s lives.

In their studies, scholars have found that “the more children knew about their family’s history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem and the more successfully they believed their families functioned.”

Like I said, history matters. And making sure people have access to it matters. That’s our commitment at Black Sheep and I hope you’ll help by applying yourself if you’re eligible or spreading the word.