Italian Interest Group of the Eastside Genealogical Society May 2026

Italian Interest Group (IIG) May 2026 Meeting
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May 16, 2026 (Saturday)
1:30 PM (PT)

Staying Behind in Italy during the Age of Mass Migration – Everyday Life for Our
Ancestors in Italy 
Victoria Calabrese
Suzanne Russo Adams Description: This presentation will discuss daily life in Italy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the period of mass emigration. The presentation will include information about home life, economics, society, gender roles, the emigration process, and what life was like for those who remained behind. This presentation gives a fuller perspective of the migration process, including not just those who migrated, but including those who never migrated, showing how their lives were affected just as much as those migrating.
Suzanne Russo Adams Presenter: Victoria Calabrese
Victoria Calabrese received her Ph.D. in modern European history from the Graduate Center at the City University of New York. Her research focuses on modern Italian history, gender, migration, and nation building. Her book, Italian Women in Basilicata: Staying Behind but Moving Forward during the Age of Mass Emigration, 1876–1914, was published by Lexington Books in 2022. The book examines women in the southern Italian region of Basilicata and the many ways their lives changed when their husbands emigrated. In addition to the women who remained behind, she has written articles on honor and infanticide, and on traveling child musicians. Victoria is an avid genealogist, focusing on southern Italian genealogy research. She is currently an adjunct professor at Lehman College, teaching courses in early modern and modern European history.
COUNTDOWN TO THE MEETING:
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Italian Interest Group (IIG) of the Eastside Genealogical Society P.O. Box 374
Bellevue, WA 98009-0374

Italian Interest Group of the Eastside Genealogical Society Exploring Italian Catholic Parish Registers

Italian Interest Group (IIG) April 2026 Meeting
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This April presentation is a different presentation than the February presentation Click to request
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Date:
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Presenter:
April 18, 2026 (Saturday)
1:30 PM (PT)
Exploring Italian Catholic Parish Registers 
Suzanne Russo Adams
Description: Exploring Italian Catholic Parish Registers introduces researchers to the rich genealogical and historical information found in parish records across Italy. This session will cover how to identify the correct parish and diocese for your ancestors, and how to locate and interpret key sacramental records—baptisms, confirmations, marriages, and burials. Participants will gain practical strategies for navigating these records and understanding the valuable details they contain for family history research.
Suzanne Russo Adams Presenter: Suzanne Russo Adams
Suzanne Russo Adams, MA, AG®, is an Associate Professor of family history and the Director of the Center for Family History and Genealogy at Brigham Young University. An Accredited Genealogist® specializing in Italian research, she holds degrees inFamily History/Genealogy and Sociology, as well as a master’s degree in History. With over 25 years of experience in the genealogy field, Suzanne has worked extensively in record acquisition, strategy, and content digitization for Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. She is the author ofFinding Your Italian Ancestors: A Beginner’s Guide.”
COUNTDOWN TO THE MEETING:
Days Hours Minutes Seconds
Italian Interest Group (IIG) of the Eastside Genealogical Society P.O. Box 374
Bellevue, WA 98009-0374

Italian Interest Group of the Eastside Genealogical Society US Catholic Church Records

Italian Interest Group (IIG) March 2026 Meeting
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Date: March 21, 2026 (Saturday)
Time: 1:30 PM (PT)
Find Your Family in U.S. Catholic Church Records
Presenter: Sunny Jane Morton
Description: Roman Catholic sacramental records often contain vital
events, relationships, and overseas hometowns. They’re also confidential, so they can be tricky to access. Learn about Catholicism in the U.S., what’s in sacramental records and what they look like, how to identify an ancestral parish, and tips for accessing Catholic records.
Suzanne Russo Adams Presenter: Sunny Jane Morton
Sunny Jane Morton is a genealogy educator, editor and writer. She has expertise in U.S. records and history, and is co-author of How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records, which received a book award from the National Genealogical Society, and Searching for Sisters: A Guide to Researching Catholic Nuns in the United States. She is Editor of NGS Magazine; Contributing Editor at Family Tree Magazine; an instructor at GRIP Genealogy Institute and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy; and past Editor of Ohio Genealogy News.
COUNTDOWN TO THE MEETING:
Days Hours Minutes Seconds
Italian Interest Group (IIG) of the Eastside Genealogical Society P.O. Box 374
Bellevue, WA 98009-0374