Calendar of Events

National Archives Genealogy Series: 1950 Census

Find an Event

March, April, and May 2022

Videos and presentation materials remain available. Free and no registration!  

⇒ About the program

⇒ Participation instructions

YouTube playlist

⇒ Schedule with session descriptions, handouts, and videos


Condensed Schedule (more details below)

SCHEDULE

videos premiere on event day and remain available

Wednesday, March 2, at 1 p.m. ET

1950-population-questionnaire

Overview of What's on the 1950 Census by Claire Kluskens

  • Claire Kluskens is the Genealogy/Census Subject Matter Expert and a digital projects archivist from the National Archives in Washington, DC
  • Audience skill level: All
  • Presentation slides/handout 
  • Video (49 minutes)

Our Genealogy/Census Subject Matter Expert Claire Kluskens will provide an overview of what’s available (and not available) in the 1950 Census. 

Wednesday, March 16, at 1 p.m. ET

1950 Census Enumeration District Map for Central Falls, Rhode Island  RG 29, Census Enumeration District and Related Maps (NAID 176246298)

Mapping the 1950 Census: Census Enumeration District Maps at the National Archives by Brandi Oswald 

  • Brandi Oswald is a supervisory archivist in the Cartographic Branch at the National Archives at College Park, MD
  • Audience skill level: All 
  • Presentation slides/handout
  • Video (30 minutes)

A census enumeration district was an area that could be covered by a single enumerator, or census taker, in one census period. Enumeration districts varied in size from several city blocks in densely populated urban areas to an entire county in sparsely populated rural areas. This presentation will focus on locating and using census enumeration district maps, with an emphasis on maps from the 1950 census.

Wednesday, March 30, at 1 p.m. ET

Family Tree

The 1950 Census Website: Design, Development, and Features to Expect by Michael L. Knight

  • Michael L. Knight serves as the Web Branch Chief within the Office of Innovation (Digital Engagement Division) at the National Archives at College Park, MD
  • Audience skill level: All 
  • Presentation slides/handout
  • Video (30 minutes)
  • Video: Website Features (10-minute version of full-length video)

This presentation will provide attendees with an overview of the design and development approach that was used in the creation of the 1950 Census website.  Attendees will also learn about the various search and discovery features that will be available on the website when it is launched on April 1, 2022. 

Wednesday, April 27, at 1 p.m. ET

blank example of the Form P8 Indian Reservation Schedule

The Story of the 1950 Census P8 Indian Reservation Schedule by Cody White

  • Cody White is the Native American-Related Records Subject Matter Expert and an archivist at the National Archives at Denver, CO
  • Audience skill level: Experienced (all are welcome!)
  • Presentation slides/handout
  • Video (38 minutes)

As part of the 1950 population census, the Census Bureau used a special schedule on certain Native reservations nationwide. Join archivist Cody White as he explains the genesis, creation, and execution of the 1950 P8 Indian Reservation schedule, which became available online on April 1, 2022.

Wednesday, May 11, at 1 p.m. ET

From Parchments to Printouts:  History of the Census from 1790 to 1950 by Sharon Tosi Lacey

Every census is a snapshot of our country at a particular point in time. As America has grown and changed, the U.S. census has evolved with it. As the first census after World War II, the 1950 Census marked the beginning of pivotal changes in every aspect of our society: economically, demographically, and technologically. This presentation will trace the arc of progress from 1790 to 1940, then delve into the 1950 Census in order to provide the context in which the Census Bureau collected, processed, and analyzed this data.

 

Wednesday, May 18, at 1 p.m. ET

History of Census Records and the National Archives by Jessie Kratz

Join our Historian, Jessie Kratz, as she presents the history of census records in relation to the history of the National Archives. She will discuss census records before they came to the National Archives, their transfer upon the creation of the National Archives, and the history of their availability and use.

Wednesday, May 25, at 1 p.m. ET

Historic Census Bureau Sources for Filipino, Guamanian and Chamorro, American Samoan, and Native Hawaiian Research by Christopher Martin

  • Christopher Martin is a historian with the U.S. Census Bureau
  • Audience skill level: All
  • Presentation slides/handout
  • Video (available on Wednesday, May 25, at 1 p.m. ET)

This presentation focuses on historic Census Bureau resources for Filipinos, Guamanians and Chamorros, American Samoans, and Native Hawaiians. We will explore the surveys and census history unique to those Pacific islands as well as the enumeration and representation of their populations in stateside questionnaires and reports.


About the Program

In order to best prepare you for the opening of these long-awaited records, we are offering a special Genealogy Series focused on the 1950 Census. The series will provide family history research tools for all skill levels along with a general overview to specific topics. Broadcasts of the program sessions will take place in March,  April, and May.  All are welcome!

Participation Instructions

You are invited to attend, participate, and ask questions during our sessions' YouTube video premieres. Presentations are pre-recorded videos broadcast on NARA's YouTube channel. Throughout the broadcast, you will be able to ask questions, and the presenter will respond in real time. After the initial showing, the video and handouts will remain available on this web page and YouTube.

  • Attend via YouTube
  • Participate in chat, by first logging into YouTube and then typing your comments into the chat section
  • Join us on Twitter at @USNatArchives

Captioning & Transcript

  • During the event, live captioning will be available online with StreamText. If you require an alternative or additional accommodation for the event, please email the coordinator of the Know Your Records program at KYR@nara.gov.
  • After the broadcast, you may request a transcript taken from the live captioning by sending a request to KYR@nara.gov.

Background

The National Archives holds the permanently valuable records of the federal government. These include records of interest to genealogists, such as pension files, ship passenger lists, censuses, and Freedmen’s Bureau materials. Find more information about National Archives holdings on Archives.gov.

 

All events listed in the calendar are free unless noted.

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