Mecklenburg Genealogical Society

02/20/2026

Arts ATL shares book dealers of note at the Inaugural Atlanta Rare Book Fair

Rare book dealer and author Charlene Ball lights up when she talks about going to a rare book fair. “It’s a vast cavernous space, but when the booksellers are set up, it looks like 100-plus bookshops, all in aisles and rows, all facing inward,” says Ball, who owns Decatur-based Toadlily…

02/19/2026

Friday, February 27 through Sunday, March 1
The Atlanta Rare Book Fair (Local Events)
11:00 am to 6:00 pm
The Turner Lynch Campus Center, Oglethorpe University, 4484 Peachtree Rd NE, Brookhaven, GA

If you would like to round out your historic book collection or look for old maps from your ancestors’ areas, plan a trip to the Atlanta Rare Book Fair at Oglethorpe University. Showcasing thousands of books, maps, prints and ephemera, this event brings together two dozen booksellers from around the country. There will be thousands of items available at a range of prices.

Buy tickets at

Enjoy wine and beer while having first access to the books.  Preview tickets include entry to the fair on Friday and Saturday.

02/17/2026

Saturday, February 21
Sources for African American History & Genealogy Research in WNC – Archives (Webinars)
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Hybrid: Online or at OBCGS, 128 Bingham Road, Suite 950, Asheville, NC.
Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society introduces the 828 Digital Archives for Historical Equity & Buncombe County Enslaved/Free Persons of Color Database. Ellen Holmes Pearson, UNC Asheville Professor of History, will discuss the Archives, an initiative that centers the voices of historically excluded individuals in the region to build a more comprehensive history of Western North Carolina. She will also review some of the ongoing 828 Digital Archive projects. Ms. Lonnience Thomas, UNCA History Major, will discuss the OBCGS searchable database for enslaved/freed people in Buncombe County, 1794 -1868. Dr Holmes is the Roy Carroll Professor of Arts & Sciences.
Registration is required. There is no charge to attend. If you are unable to attend, register to receive a link to the recording which is sent 24 hours after the program.
Link to register: https://www.obcgs.com. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information to join the webinar. You are welcome to attend the viewing at our library.
Program Hosts: Cheryl Chasin, OBCGS Webinar Coordinator, and Cindy Jordan, President. Contact: info@obcgs.com.

Welcome to OBCGS Our Regional History and Genealogy Library is located at 128 Bingham Rd., #950, Asheville, NC 28806 and we're open to all visitors. A volunteer docent is on staff Tues. - Sat. from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. The docents are prepared to welcome visitors and assist in research. Our Library i...

02/14/2026

Esther Holand popularized the Valentine's card, the tradition that we enjoy and celebrate today https://blogs.loc.gov/inside_adams/2016/03/esther-howland-and-the-business-of-love/

A post about Esther Howland the “Mother of the American Valentine.”

02/13/2026

Joe McGill is the author of Sleeping with the Ancestors, an account of The Slave Dwelling Project and his experiences sleeping in old, still extant slave quarters. He will describe how this project gave him a deeper understanding of the lives of the enslaved. Please join us virtually March 11th at 7:30 EST for our monthly meeting.

02/13/2026

Thursday, March 5 through Saturday, March 7 RootsTech 2026 (Conferences) Hybrid/Utah Thursday, March 5 through Saturday, March 7
RootsTech 2026 (Conferences)
Hybrid/Utah Mark your calendars and save the date for RootsTech RootsTech is the premier event to celebrate your heritage through a deeper understanding of family history and genealogy. This extremely popular hybrid event covers all the latest technology applicable to family researchers.
For details see

A family history conference. An on-demand learning library. A way to grow closer to the people, places, and stories that matter most. RootsTech is all that and so much more. Join us as we celebrate together the joy of connection.

02/12/2026

Monday, February 16 Voices of the Freedmen: Exploring Freedmen’s Bureau & Freedman’s Bank Records (Webinars)
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm This beginner-friendly class introduces you to two essential resources for African American genealogy. Learn how Freedmen’s Bureau records, including labor contracts, marriages, school reports, and community disputes, can reveal family relationships in the years after the Civil War. You will also discover how to use HeritageQuest to locate and search Freedman’s Bank applications, which often include valuable details about family members, occupations, and birthplaces. This session offers practical steps to help you uncover and understand the stories of newly freed ancestors.
Presented by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, this Virtual event is free.
Please register in advance. For details see

01/05/2026

What Great-Grandma Didn’t Tell: A Genealogy Detective Story (Webinars)
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
ONLINE - Via ZOOM

Join Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Genealogy Librarian Danielle Pritchett as she shares her personal journey of uncovering a long-hidden family secret. Through DNA testing and traditional research, Danielle discovered the identity of her maternal great-grandfather after decades of mystery. Learn how you can use similar tools and strategies to piece together your own family puzzle.
Please register in advance.
(Free) (VIRTUAL)
6:00pm - 7:30 pm ET
For details see cmlibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/692e0ec0e80c503000399c0b

01/04/2026

Discover the hidden gems of UNC Special Collections!
Join us virtually on January 14 at the Olde Meck monthly meeting, 7:30 pm EST, to hear Sarah Carrier, North Carolina Research & Instruction Librarian at the Wilson Special Collections Library. to the public, register at www.tinyurl.com/omgs-jan26

12/09/2025

Wednesday, December 10 Olde Meck Holiday Celebration 6:30 pm
We hope you can join us for our annual Holiday meeting. We will have a hybrid meeting again this year. The in-person event will take place at the Alpine Village Clubhouse, beginning at 6:30, with refreshments and social time. Zoom attendees can join in at 7:30 for the official meeting, including a recap of the year's highlights, installation of officers, presentation of awards, and door prizes!