October is officially Family History Month. This designation goes back more than 20 years, just 2 and a half weeks after the traumatic events of 9/11. The bill passed by the United States Senate includes a long list of reasons why October should be Family History Month, including this statement:

Whereas individuals learn about their ancestors who worked so hard and sacrificed so much, their commitment to honor their ancestors’ memory by doing good is increased; Whereas interest in our personal family history transcends all cultural and religious affiliations…

Senate of the United States

You can read the rest of the bill at Congress.gov.. The senators’ justifications are right in line with what sociologists, mental health professionals, and other experts have been saying for years—as described in these 2 articles that were published in The New York Times: “The Family Stories that Bind Us” and “Why You Should Dig Up Your Family’s History and How to Do It”

In short, family history is a powerful catalyst for uniting not just families, but entire communities. Learning about your ancestors can make you more resilient in the face of challenges and setbacks.

What will you do to celebrate this month?

If you are not sure where to start, here are some leading resources in starting your journey into family history. The Family History Guide is continuously updating their Guided Learning series. These videos are a great resource for self-paced learning from you own home, libraries or FamilySearch centers.

In addition, beginning Thursday October 16, the Granite FamilySearch Center will once again offer their class, “FamilySearch Made Easy for the Absolute Beginner.” The class with be taught from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM and then again from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM every Thursday. 

This month find a way to make family history relevant in your life. You are giving your family the gifts which can help them better endure life here on earth.

– Barbara Tubbs, Communications, Granite FamilySearch Center