For a list of all past programs, download an Excel Spreadsheet.
Our monthly meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month in the auditorium of the Reynolda Manor Branch of the Forsyth County Public Library, starting at 2 pm, located at 2839 Fairlawn Drive, Winston-Salem, NC.
All meetings are free and open to the public. Guests are welcome! Our programs are planned to be both informative and educational. Upcoming speakers scheduled for our monthly meetings are:
Sept 4, 2018 “Bethania: Wachovia’s First Planned Community”
presented by Michele Williams, PhD, Visitor Center Manager. Hear about the families that shaped this 259 year old town, now on the National Register of Historic Landmarks.
Oct 2, 2018 “Ghost Stories and Reported Hauntings” Local publisher Barry McGee
has many years of experience in the publishing field and was instrumental in the publishing of the 1990 book, Triad Hauntings, written by Burt Calloway and Jennifer Fitzsimmons. Barry has collected stories of reported hauntings in Winston-Salem and the surrounding area and, as a Halloween month treat, will share those tales with us.
Nov 6, 2018 Kay Harper Windsor “Reflective writing using prompts to start a personal essay.”
Timelines and photos can be the starting point for sharing a family legacy with grandchildren.
Dec 4, 2018
Christmas Social potluck for members
Jan 1, 2019
No meeting as library is closed for New Year
Feb 5, 2019 Martha Hartley of Old Salem on “Hidden Town”
Martha Hartley, archaeologist, reports on the research done in the Village of Salem to understand the history of African enslaved and freedmen; where they lived, worked and who they were.
March 5, 2019 Randell Jones, Author, on “Daniel and Rebecca Boone and the 250th Anniversary of the Cumberland Gap Trail” (May 1769)
This program will focus on the wife, daughter, and granddaughter of Daniel Boone, and what their lives were like. Program made possible by funding from the NC Humanities Council.
April 2, 2019 Mike Sprinkle (Retired Archivist of the Wake Forest Medical Library) will discuss the taking of “Oral Histories”.
He will give an overview of an Oral History from Introductory remarks to the closing comments; in particular the role of interviewer vis a vis the subject being interviewed.
7 May 2019 “Virtual Tour of the NC Room” – Karen Feeney, supervisor of The North Carolina Collection,
located in the NC Room on the second floor of the Central Library, will discuss the newest additions and resources available. This recently expanded department focuses on local and state history, genealogy, culture, biography, travel, literature and folklore, as well as federal, state and local government information. The collection includes the Photograph Collection, microfilm and microfiche, as well as a map collection.
NC Room tour – In conjunction with this talk, we will have scheduled a FCGS fieldtrip to the NC Room on the following Tuesday, May 14, at 10:00 am for a guided, hands-on tour.
We will meet on the second floor, just outside the NC Room at 9:55 am. Everyone is invited, but if you know you wish to participate, and especially if you would like to be included in plans for lunch, please message us through the website: Forsythgen.org, or sign up no later than the 7 May program.
4 June 2019 – FCGS members Mary Wheat and Jerry Loafman.
”Journal of a 1920’s Widow” –Mary Wheat will present the contents of her Grandma Gustin’s Journal. A daily account of coping with a farm and a family of 6 ranging from 9 to 22 after the lingering illness and death of her husband.
Plus:
“Genealogy Chart Discovery” – Jerry Loafman will display and describe a genealogy chart he discovered at a yard sale containing links to several local families.
2 July 2019 – “Five uses of flowers in 18th century Wachovia” – Eric Elliott
Flowers were more than just ornamental to early settlers. Settlers to this area needed to learn and make use of their environment, including flowering plants, and were able to do so due to botanists being active in the area. Engaging all five senses, flowers were used for study, utility, celebration, communication, and beauty in Wachovia. A five-panel exhibit on this topic is currently viewable at Alpha Chapel, Bethania. The exhibit was created by Eric Elliott, and sponsored by the Garden Club Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County and the Old Salem Garden Club. At the talk Eric will also discuss the next Garden Club and Council-sponsored exhibit on 4 Moravian botanists, opening at the Archives later in July.
6 August 2019 A New Method for Gravestone Cleaning without Damage– Michele Williams PhD
Visitor Services Manager for the Town of Bethania, will demonstrate state-of-the-art gravestone cleaning techniques using Biological D-2 solution, which is the national standard for gravestone cleaning and is being adoped this eyar by Salem Congregation for use in Salem’s God’s Acre.
3 Sept 2019 Fun with Family Search– Cindy Green, PhD & FCGS member
In preparation for September’s meeting, please download the FamilySearch Family Tree App on your smartphone or tablet, and create a free account, if you don’t already have one. Add in some of your family tree if you can. Bring your device and/ or your laptop to the meeting, where we’ll learn about some of the updates and activities available at the FamilySearch website and on the app, including “Find Relatives Around Me” and “All About Me”. This is also the annual meeting with the 2019-2020 Board member election..
1 Oct 2019 “More Like a Community Than an Estate” The people of Reynolda 1912-1964
Phil Archer & Bari Helms of Reynolda House on photos and oral histories of the staff and gardeners who worked for the Reynolds family, and their children, many of whom came from other countries, and whose descendants still live in our area.
5 Nov 2019 “Ancient Bones and Ancient DNA” presented by Robert S. Lockett, Jr.
Bob is the past president of the Wythe County Geneal and Hist Assoc. He will review 4 types of DNA used in genealogy and discuss what they tell us about who we are and where we came from. Our ability to extract viable DNA from ancient bones now gives us a better picture in the to the past than ever before.
3 Dec 2019 The Best of the Oldies performed by the Winston Salem Pops Chorus Open to the Public
Plan to hum along with the amazing vocal group as they perform songs from years gone by. Due to this special event, and the importance to share this unusual opportunity, our usual yearly pot luck will be postponed to January. Do invite your family, neighbors and friends to this extra special open Christmas event.
7 Jan 2020 Pot Luck dinner for members
Members bring photos of family people and places to share on Power Point
4 Feb 2020 Linda Scales Dark on Walk of Fame Heroes– her grandfather William Scales:
Linda is the Consultant: Preservation 21st, and will discuss her grandfather William Scales, who opened three theaters that catered to African-Americans and brought in black Vaudeville performers. He later produced films for black audiences, and started North State Films, believed to be the first in-state studio owned by a North Carolinian. William Scales earned a medallion on the Walk of Fame at Benton Convention Center, unveiled on July 26, 2019, for his pioneering career as one of the earliest black film producers in the country.
3 Mar 2020 Eric Elliott, Archivist at the Moravian Archives; on “Using New Tools to Search for African American Stories in the Moravian Archives
Eric will discuss work being processed on new material from their records that are being created for guests to use at the Archives. He plans to have a description of this in an exhibit at Winston Salem State next spring,
Program topics are subject to change due to speaker availability or weather.
The FCGS follows the inclement weather policy of the WS/FC Public School System, should classes be cancelled or dismissed early due to bad weather, the FCGS meeting scheduled for that same evening will be cancelled, as well.