The National Society for Arab & Arab American Genealogy (NSAB) will hold our 2nd Annual Arab American Family History Day on April 26, 2025. It will be an all-day virtual event including presentations on different aspects of Arab & Arab American family history research, documentation and preservation.
Register HERE!
Using the FamilySearch Wiki for Arab & Arab American Family History Research
The FamilySearch Research Wiki is a free, online genealogical guide created and maintained by FamilySearch. It contains links to genealogy databases, websites, other resources, research strategies, and genealogical guidance to assist in the search for your ancestors. Articles included are locality pages for countries around the world and topic pages that include pertinent genealogy record types explaining how to use the record, what it contains, and how to find it. NSAB welcomes members of the FamilySearch Wiki MENA team who will share how to use the Wiki as a resource for Arab & Arab American family history research.
Speakers:
Laura Daly, MLIS, Middle East & North Africa Outreach Intern, FamilySearch
Laura Daly holds a Master of Library and Information Studies and Archival Certification from the University of Alabama and a bachelor’s degree in Ancient Near Eastern Studies from BYU. She has focused her research on increasing the awareness and accessibility of records for people in the Middle East. She is currently part of the FamilySearch Middle East & North Africa Outreach team and loves to inspire and connect with other people on the path of family history discovery!
James Vogel, Middle East and North Africa Outreach Intern, FamilySearch
James Vogel has been on the FamilySearch Middle East and North Africa Outreach team since June 2023. A Connecticut native, James graduated from Brigham Young University with dual bachelor’s degrees in Arabic Language and Middle East Studies. During his university studies, he spent time in Morocco and Jordan in intensive Arabic learning programs.
From Arrival to Archive: Finding Your Ancestor’s Immigration Record will be held on Saturday, November 16 at 10am PST/1:00pm EST via Zoom. This NSAB Presentation will be made by Reem Awad-Rashmawi, JD.
Did your parent, grandparent, or an ancestor from generations ago immigrate to the United States? Or perhaps your ancestor came and went multiple times, leaving a trail of records behind. Whether you’re tracing a single journey or multiple crossings, the question remains: Do you have documentation of their immigration? Passenger lists, immigration files, naturalization records, and other invaluable documents can provide crucial insights into your family history. Join us for this informative NSAB webinar to learn where to start your search and how to navigate the archives to uncover the stories of your immigrant ancestors.
NSAB webinars are free and open to all, however access to archived webinars and webinar handouts are available to members only.
Writing Your Ancestor’s Story, will be held on Saturday, September 28 at 10am PST/1:00pm EST via Zoom. Dallas Public Library Genealogy and History Division Manager and NSAB Board Member, Stephanie Arage Bennett will be helping us write down what we know. Tracing your Arab American heritage can be difficult, particularly when you hit a brick wall. However, focusing on telling your ancestor’s story will help provide clues and show you all the information that you already have at your fingertips. Learn how to write a genealogical biography, correctly cite sources, incorporate pictures and find clues that will help you determine where to research next!
NSAB webinars are open however, access to archived webinars and webinar handouts are available to members only.
The First Annual Arab American Family History Day will be held virtually on Saturday, June 1, 2024 beginning at 9:00 AM PST. Reem Awad-Rashmawi, NSAB founder and genealogist at Photographs and Memories by Reem, will kick off the event by sharing NSAB’s vision and goals for its members. She will also give a quick introduction about Arab and Arab American genealogy research.
The introductory presentation will be followed by a panel with archive specialists who will share resources for Arab American family history research. The panel will include:
Participants can register on Zoom at
Finally, following the open virtual session, at 11:30 AM PST, NSAB will hold a member-only “NSAB Connect” session. NSAB members will receive a separate registration email inviting them to join a casual discussion with other researchers and share their research ideas, brick walls, and best practices in Arab and Arab American family history.
The 1st Annual Arab American Family History Day will be held virtually on June 1, 2024 (updated date). Registration and more information will be released soon.
