What: Presentation by Michael Hall, deputy chief genealogical officer of FamilySearch on the Azorean Immigration to the United States Through the Documents of One Family
Where: Prince Henry Society Reading Room at the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives, Claire T. Carney Library, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (Park in Lot 13)
When: Thursday, April 12 at 6:00 P.M.
~ Free and open to the public ~ Light refreshments will be served ~
On Campus Directions: For access during library construction as you approach from Lot 13, enter the library basement and take the elevator to the first floor, exit the building, and proceed to the right to the Archives entrance.
Azorean Immigration to the United States Through the Documents of One Family
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives announces a presentation by Michael Hall, deputy chief genealogical officer of FamilySearch The event—free and open to the public—will take place on Thursday, April 12 at 6:00 P.M. in the Prince Henry Society Reading Room at the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives (Parking lot 13). Light refreshments will be served.
Titled “Immigration of Azoreans to the United States through the Documents of one Family,” the presentation will follow the journey of the Brilhante Family from the village of Relva, in São Miguel, Azores to Fall River, Massachusetts. The story will be told through the documents and eyes of Antonio Brilhante. The history of Azorean immigration to the U.S. will unfold through the use of various governmental, ecclesiastical, and private documents that were created both in the Azores and the United States. This presentation will demonstrate how to use documents to recreate the history of a particular family or an ethnic group, but also the importance of preserving all documents for the use of the family historian and other researchers. Selected family photos and newspaper articles will be interspersed throughout the presentation to give a feel of the life and experience of the Brilhante Family while illustrating common patterns of Azorean immigration to the U.S.
Michael J. Hall is the Deputy Chief Genealogical Officer of FamilySearch, the largest genealogical organization in the world, headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT, where he works with libraries and genealogical societies worldwide. He has a degree in Anthropology from Brigham Young University and his areas research include the Azores, from which his maternal ancestors immigrated to the United States, and the upper mid-west region of the United States. He is a member of the Genealogy and Local History Committee of the American Library Association, and will be its 2013 incoming chair. He also serves in a similar capacity on the International Federation of Libraries and Associations (IFLA). He has written various genealogical guides for the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City.
The entrance to the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives is located on the campus side of the Claire T. Carney Library. For access during library construction as you approach from Lot 13, enter the library basement and take the elevator to the first floor, exit the building, and proceed to the right to the Archives entrance.
For further information, contact 508-999-8695 or email spacheco@umassd.edu.