Kim Richardson

Kim Richardson accidentally became a genealogist when her grandmother and grandaunt asked for help researching a few ancestors. She loved learning about those ancestors and has been researching nearly daily since that time, including professionally. Kim's favorite genealogy activity is empowering others to break through barriers to achieve their genealogy goals. She discovered why complex genealogy problems feel overwhelming and created a tool called Brick Wall Buster Cards to conquer confusion and solve tough problems.

Kim graduated from Mississippi State University. She retired from service to the State of Mississippi after 25 years as an advocate for victims of violent crime and working in highway traffic safety programs. She continues to work in a professional capacity conducting genealogy research and teaching others that they can solve genealogical brick wall problems. She has researched for Who Do You Think You Are? and Finding Your Roots. She also wrote the "Mississippi Research Guide" for Family Tree Magazine.

 

October 7, 2023 - Hybrid Meeting and Webinar

Register whether you plan to attend in person at the library
or virtually via Zoom: OCCGS-10-07-Richardson

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about
joining the Zoom meeting. The Library opens at 9:00 am for in-person attendees.

10:10 AM - How Do I Know that My Sources are "Good" and My Research is Accurate?

What makes a source a "good" source? How do you know it's reliable? How do you evaluate your research to know that it is solid? Are you using good research plans? Or do you just feel lost? Overwhelmed? Let's discuss finding information, using it as good evidence, and how to document as you go. This presentation was created from the standpoint of "I wish I knew that before I started researching!" and will have you on a good path in your genealogical journey.

11:20 AM - Turn Your Brick Wall into a Yellow Brick Road

A brick wall is not the end of the line for research. Let's explore ways to determine if more research can be done to solve your problem, and let's analyze the documents you have to make sure you've followed every lead to the fullest. This presentation will discuss the most common oversights in genealogy research and how to avoid being stuck behind a brick wall, giving you a yellow brick road to follow instead.

 

Handouts, when available, are in Member's Only on the Speaker Handouts page.