Salem Connections Through History Celebrated At Ancestry Days

SALEM, MA — Salem's extensive history as a landing point for families who are starting their American journey or changing their family's trajectory will be examined and celebrated at the second annual Salem Ancestry Days celebration this weekend.

Residents and visitors are welcome to discover their ancestral and immigrant connections to the Witch City during the four-day festival starting Friday and continuing through Monday. There will be lectures, tours, research opportunities and information on ties to Salem.

The city holds the event in collaboration with the Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum, Essex National Heritage Commission and American Ancestors by New England Historic Genealogical Society.

The festival will include the first exhibitor fair on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

There will be a mix of live in-person and virtual events where those attending can learn how to research their ancestry and participate in guided walking tours of the city.

A full list of events can be found here.

Highlights of the celebration are:

Friday, April 29

• Chat with a Genealogist
• Grand Army of the Republic Hall & Museum: Open House (Lynn)
• Ancestry Weekend at Witch Pix
• Salem Witch Trials Ancestors & Descendants
• Exhibit: Let None Be Excluded: The Origins of Equal School Rights in Salem
• Live Tour of PEM's Let None Be Excluded Exhibition
• The Photo Detective Road Show (Virtual)
• Tour of Historic St. Peter's Church
• Researching Black Ancestry in Essex County: Resources & Methods (Virtual)

Saturday, April 30

• Friends of the Broad Street Cemetery – Cemetery Tour
• Chat with a Genealogist
• Grand Army of the Republic Hall & Museum: Open House & Film (Lynn)
• Become a Family History Detective
• Exhibitor Fair, Old Town Hall
• Exhibit: Let None Be Excluded: The Origins of Equal School Rights in Salem
• Genealogy and Deeds: What Land Records Can Tell Your About Your History
• Ancestry Weekend at Witch Pix
• Salem Witch Trials Ancestors & Descendants
• Tour of Historic St. Peter's Church
• If These Stones Could Speak
• Salem With the Daniels Family, 17th Century
• Connecting Salem Arts Association to the History of Our Derby Street Location
• The Irish Experience at Phillips House
• Tabernacle Congregational Church Open House
• Getting Started in Family History: A Genealogy 101 Talk Presented by American Ancestors/New England Historic Genealogical Society

Sunday, May 1

• Friends of the Broad Street Cemetery – Cemetery Tour
• Become a Family History Detective
• Exhibitor Fair at Old Town Hall
• Exhibit: Let None Be Excluded: The Origins of Equal School Rights in Salem
• Genealogy and Deeds: What Land Records Can Tell Your About Your History
• Ancestry Weekend at Witch Pix
• Salem Witch Trials Ancestors & Descendants
• Ancestor Stories: Authors Discuss their Family Connections to the Salem Witch Trials (Virtual!)
• Salem with the Silsbee Family, Salem's Maritime Age
• Connecting Salem Arts Association to the History of Our Derby Street Location
• Tabernacle Congregational Church Open House
• Getting Started in Family History: A Genealogy 101 Talk Presented by American Ancestors/New England Historic Genealogical Society
• A Genealogy 101 Talk Presented by American Ancestors/New England Historic Genealogical Society
• "The White Family: Love, Ambition, and Sorrow" Walking Tour

Monday, May 2

• Artifacts Illuminating Ancestors
• Ancestry Weekend at Witch Pix
• The Struggle for Soviet Jewry and the Making of a Local Emigre Community

A full printable map of the locations can be found here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)