Los Angeles California FamilySearch Center/Events and Societies

Upcoming Events


Black History Expo & Parade Saturday   February 11, 2023



Information of the Black History Expo and Parade

The 43rd Annual Black History Expo, "The Gift of Legacy- Our Family, City and Community" features a parade and over 40 different vendors ordering food, artifacts, clothing books, information booths, recruitment and an event stage showcasing local entertainment.

The event is located downtown Riverside, 3900 main Street, Riverside, CA.

 CAAGS DNA Special Interest Group Meetings for 2023 CAAGS DNA Special Interest Group Meetings for 2023 will be held on Saturday April 22, July 22 and Sept 23 at 2pm in the LAFSC classroom. Seating priority will be given to CAAGS members, with a capacity of 40 people. The public is welcome as space is available.
 * Dates:
 * Saturday, April 22 at 2pm
 * Saturday, July 22 at 2pm
 * Saturday, Sept 23 at 2pm
 * Attend In-Person

 Tracing German Roots - Facilitator: John P. Schmal This presentation will discuss research techniques for locating German ancestors. John will review available tools for LOCATING A PLACE OF ORIGIN (essential to beginning your search). Usage of online German databases will also be covered (FamilySearch, Archion and Matricula). Handouts provided.
 * Date: Saturday, January 21, 2023 - 1:00 PM (PST)
 * Attend In-Person or Online Via Zoom
 * Click Here to Register for Class
 * Handout

 Using Cluster Research to Identify Enslaved Parents and Using Cluster Research to Identify Enslaved Parents - Facilitator: LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JD, LLM, CG®, FASG Orange County California Genealogical Society is offering a Virtual Webinar with Speaker LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson. Learn more about LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, JD, LLM, CG®, FASG click LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson 10:10 AM - Using Cluster Research to Identify Enslaved Parents Cluster research of family, associates, and neighbors (the "FAN Club") is particularly useful when researching the lineage of a formerly enslaved ancestor. This session will focus on the indirect evidence that can be gleaned from a research subject's Fan Club, using sources created before and after the subject's lifetime. 11:15 AM - Using Cluster Research to Identify Enslaved Parents This session will follow the Lecture regarding cluster research, to demonstrate how a proof argument based largely on indirect evidence can be strengthened by the incorporation of DNA evidence. Handouts provided.
 * Date: Saturday, February 4, 2023 - 10:00 am (PST)
 * Online Zoom Registration Required
 * Click Here to Register

 Tracing Your Pre-1848 California Roots - Facilitator: John P. Schmal John P. Schmal will discuss the many dimensions of exploring your pre-1848 California Roots (Indigenous, Mexican, and Spanish). After a short discussion of California's diversity at the time of the Spanish contact, John will discuss the many techniques and resources available for exploring your California roots. These will include Mission Records, the California Early Population Project, land records, court records, Spanish land grants, many of which can be accessed through FamilySearch.
 * Date: Saturday, February 18, 2023 – 1:00 PM (PST)
 * Attend In-Person or Online Via Zoom
 * Click Here to Join Event on Feb 18 @ 1:00 pm
 * Handout

 German Geography and History - Facilitator: John P. Schmal In this presentation, there will be a discussion of Germany’s history and its geography that includes the causes of German emigration to America. It is important to know that enormous changes have taken place and changed the map of Germany in the last three centuries. When most of our ancestors left Germany, they left a country that looked very different from what it looks like today. There will also be discussion on the influence that religion played in the German wars.
 * Date: Saturday, March 18, 2023 - Time 1:00 pm
 * Attend In-Person or Online Via Zoom
 * Link coming soon.
 * Click Here to Join Event on Mar 18 @ 1:00 PM (PST)
 * Handout

Nordic Society
 Nordic Society - Facilitator: Lynn Anderson - Description: Our members share their interest in Scandinavian family history research and help beginners and each other search for ancestors in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.
 * 2023 Meeting Time & Dates: 2nd Saturday (Odd months); 2:00 - 4:00pm; Jan 14, Mar 11, May 13, July 8, Sept 9, Nov 11
 * Website
 * Questions: [mailto:id_NordicGenealogy@yahoo.com Contact Us by Email]

African American Research Workshop
 African American Research Workshop - Facilitator, Pat Jenkins - This is an ongoing, free, hands-on research workshop comprised of African Americans, also referred to as Black or Afro-American, or those who harmonize with Sub-Saharan Africa, with ancestry, citizenship, or residency in the United States. The workshop is an interactive exchange of research tools, methods and systems, and discussions necessary for progress at individual levels of family histories and genealogies impacted by the 16th Century removal of Africans to America as slaves. This workshop is provided by the Oakland California FamilySearch Center. Click California FamilySearch Center/Classes_and_Workshops here for details, or send email to: [mailto:Pat4gene@gmail.com pat4gene@gmail.com]

British Isles Family History Society (BIFHS-USA)



 * Website
 * Description: The British Isles Interest Group of the Southern California Genealogical Society (SCGS) promotes and encourages interest in family history, particularly relating to ancestry in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. We educate and encourage others in British Isles family history through research assistance, a variety of resources, and a community to facilitate the acquisition and exchange of family history research information. At monthly meetings fellow researchers are available to answer questions and provide assistance. Meetings in even-numbered months (except December) are held at the SCGS Library, 417 Irving Dr., Burbank, CA 92504.

California African American Genealogical Society (CAAGS)



 * Website
 * Questions: [mailto:id_info@caags.org Contact Us by Email]
 * Description: The California African American Genealogy Society is non-profit organization formed to foster genealogical research, documentation and recording of family history by the general public. They encourage the use of genealogy as a means of becoming aware of ones history, heritage and self-worth.  They encourage the collection, promotion and preservation of African American genealogical resources in local libraries and institutions.  Their substantial book collection is housed here at the LAFSL.

Chinese Family History Group of Southern California (CHFGSC)



 * Website
 * Questions: [mailto:id_info@chinesefamilyhistory.org Contact Us by Email]
 * Facebook
 * Instagram: cfhgsc
 * Description: The Chinese Family History Group of Southern California is a non-profit organization which seeks to inspire people to discover their family histories by providing a community for the exchange of information and support for those interested in researching, recording, and preserving the experiences of their Chinese and Chinese American ancestors. The organization presents monthly programming which pays special attention to the implications and impact of the Exclusion Acts (1882-1943) and restrictive quotas, which did not change until the late 1960s.

Genealogical Society of Hispanic America (GSHA-SC)



 * Website
 * Questions: [mailto:id_gshasocal@gmail.com Contact Us by Email]
 * Description: The Genealogical Society of Hispanic America – Southern California (GSHA-SC) was founded in 1992 to promote Hispanic genealogical and historical research with a focus on the American Southwest and Mexico.

Jewish Genealogical Society of Los Angeles (JGSLA)



 * Website
 * Description: The Jewish Genealogical Society of Los Angeles (JGSLA) is a non-profit organization, founded in 1979, dedicated to sharing genealogical information, techniques and research tools with those who are interested in Jewish genealogy and family history. Monthly meetings provide lectures and films to assist members in their family history research and twice-yearly research workshops are held with volunteer helpers and translators.  This library houses a 670+ JGSLA Collection of books, journals and Holocaust resources pertaining to Jews who lived all over the globe (including Australia, Germany, England, France, Israel, Russia, Poland, Iran, Israel, Lithuania, and Ukraine)  as well as items for Sephardic research (including Jews from Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, and the Middle East).  An INDEX to this extensive collection can be searched on the JGSLA website.

LA WestSide Genealogical Society



 * Website
 * Description: LAWGS was founded in April 1982 for the purpose of supporting and promoting genealogical activity in the Westside of Los Angeles.

Nordic Society



 * 2023 Meeting Time & Dates: 2nd Saturday (Odd months); 2:00 - 4:00pm; Jan 14, Mar 11, May 13, July 8, Sept 9, Nov 11
 * Website
 * Questions: [mailto:id_NordicGenealogy@yahoo.com Contact Us by Email]
 * Description: Our members share their interest in Scandinavian family history research and help beginners and each other as we search for our ancestors in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

Polish Society



 * Website
 * Description: The Polish Genealogical Society of California is a non-profit organization established in 1989 for the purpose of assisting interested researchers in their quest to discover and preserve the details of their Polish family history. There is a substantial collection of Polish research resource books available at the library.

Sons of Liberty (Sons of American Revolution)



 * Website
 * Description: The Sons of Liberty is a Los Angeles chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR). We are a historical, educational, and non-partisan patriotic organization.

Other Societies - meet sporadically

 * Daughters of American Revolution (DAR) Saturday, Jan 7, 2023 - 10:00 am
 * Jewish Genealogical Society of Conejo Valley Website
 * Mayflower Society

British Isles Family History Society - U.S.A.

 * British Isles Family History Society - U.S.A. Holdings at LAFHL
 * BIFHS-USA British Isles Links

California African American Genealogical Society

 * African American Research Center! on Ancestry.com

German

 * German Interest Group

Hispanic America

 * Genealogical Society of Hispanic America-Southern California Chapter

Jewish

 * The Gesher Galicia website
 * Jewish Genealogy Society of the Conejo Valley and Ventura County
 * Additional Links of Interest to Jewish Researchers

Other Southern California Societies and Organizations

 * Antelope Valley Genealogical Society
 * Association of Professional Genealogists - Southern California Chapter
 * Genealogical Society of North Orange County California
 * Hemet -San Jacinto Genealogical Society
 * Pomona Valley Genealogy Society
 * Federation of Genealogical Societies

Southern California Historical Societies

 * The Anaheim Historical Society
 * The Balboa Island Historical Society and Museum
 * Buena Vista Heritage 1879-present
 * California Historical Society
 * Coronado Historical Association and Coronado Museum
 * Costa Mesa Historical Society
 * Downey Historical Society
 * Eagle Rock Valley Historical Society
 * Fallbrook Historical Society
 * Los Angeles City Historical Society
 * Manhattan Beach Historical Society
 * Mariposa Museum and History Center
 * Martinez Historical Society
 * Merced County Historical Society and Courthouse museum
 * Mill Valley Historical Society
 * Mohahve Historical Society
 * Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum
 * North Lake Tahoe Historical Society and Museums
 * Orange County Historical Society
 * Pacific Railroad Society, Inc.
 * Pacifica Historical Society
 * Palm Springs Historical Society
 * Palo Alto Historical Association
 * Petaluma Historical Library & Museum
 * Placer County Historical Society
 * Redlands Area Historical Society
 * Rocklin Historical Society
 * San Benito County Historical Society
 * San Francisco History Association
 * San Francisco Museum & Historical Society
 * San Fernando Valley Historical Society
 * San Joaquin County Historical Society and Museum
 * San Juan Capistrano Historical Society
 * San Mateo County Historical Association
 * Santa Clara River Valley Railroad Historical Society
 * Santa Monica History Museum
 * Santa Ynez valley Historical Society
 * Society of California Pioneers
 * Solano County Historical Society
 * Sonoma County Historical Society
 * San Luis Obispo County Historical Society
 * Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum
 * Victorian Preservation Association of Santa Clara Valley
 * Whittier Historical Society and Museum
 * The Willow Creek- China Flat Museum
 * Yolo County Historical Society