12.1 Genealogy is More Than Pedigrees

“In all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage – to know who we are and where we came from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still a vacuum, an emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness.”1 –Alex Haley

Genealogy is so much more than creating pedigrees and family group records. The research required to look back through time in order to discover a family’s story and solidify connections with the living is personally satisfying. Looking back enables historians to experience being a vital part of something bigger than themselves. Maybe part of that satisfaction comes because research is not always easy. When family historians run into challenges, they need to stretch themselves beyond the typical reading of records and think outside the box to connect the known data to the next source of information.