The Federation of Genealogical Societies Announced Its Intent to Merge with the National Genealogical Society

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Building, Washington, D.C.

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) announced its intent to merge with the National Genealogical Society (NGS) today at its annual conference being held in Washington, D.C. Both organizations have unique but complementary missions. I envision that as these two organizations combine they will serve the family history and genealogy community better than ever.

FGS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that was founded in 1976 with a two-fold mission to “advocat[e] for the preservation and access of records” and “provid[e] resources that enable genealogical organizations to succeed in pursuing their missions.”

NGS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that was organized in 1903. According to its website, “NGS has a long history of leading the way in genealogy and produced some remarkable achievements. It was the first national genealogical organization.” It publishes the National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ), a must read, and offers a number of cloud-based educational programs and notable books.

The deadline for this merger to be completed is “no later than October 1, 2020.” The organization will ultimately remain titled, The National Genealogical Society.

In an email received from Paul Nauta, Sr. Marketing Communications Manager at FamilySearch, David Rencher, FamilySearch’s Chief Genealogical Officer (CGO), called it “a win/win for all genealogists at the local, state and international levels. FamilySearch is thrilled with the leadership of both organizations coming together to better serve all genealogists and family historians.”

Additionally, Salt Lake City will host the NGS Family History Conference May 20-23, 2020 with the theme, “Echoes of Our Ancestors.” It is “a premier four-day event for Family Historians, Professional Genealogists, Hobbyists, and History Buffs.” Registration for the conference opens December 2, 2019. The genealogy community has the opportunity to look forward to many new and exciting announcements!