2024 TxSGS Family History Conference Call for Presentations

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: March 27, 2024

The Texas State Genealogical Society announces a Call for Presentations for their 2024 TxSGS Family History Conference, Navigating Your Family History. This virtual event includes TxSGS Live! on November 1-2, 2024, plus an On-Demand program of pre-recorded sessions available for up to 90 days. The deadline for submissions is March 27, 2024.

We are looking for dynamic, enthusiastic presenters. If you feel passionate about your area of expertise and would like to teach and inspire other genealogists, this is the venue for you. The TxSGS conference averages over 300 attendees from beginner to expert. As well as topics geared toward beginners, submissions offering intermediate and advanced level lectures that delve deep into records and include unique and experienced use of sources are encouraged for consideration. Seasoned speakers and speakers new to the genealogical lecturing arena are encouraged to submit.

Submission Ideas

The areas of interest may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• DNA Research and Technology
• Ethnic Research topics (African American, Hispanic, German, Czech, and others)
• Genealogical basics for beginners (how to or getting started)
• Methodology and Problem-Solving Techniques
• Migration (coming to America or crossing the growing United States)
• Organizing and Preserving Your Research
• Record Analysis and Skill Building
• Records & Repositories (land, probate, tax, court, and other records)
• Research in Texas and surrounding states
• Writing, Storytelling, and Publishing

Submission Requirements

Presentations should be 45-50 minutes.

Speakers who wish to submit lecture or workshop proposals may submit proposals electronically. Each submitted proposal requires the following information:

• Speaker’s full name, mailing address, telephone, and email address
• Presentation title, not to exceed 14 words
• Lecture summary for program listing, not to exceed 75 words
• Brief but comprehensive lecture outline addressing the main points you plan to cover in this presentation, not to exceed one page
• Speaker’s biography, not to exceed 75 words
• Speaker’s recent lecture experience, listing presentations offered during 2022 and 2023, including the type (online or in person and the name of the group to whom you presented)
• Identification of the appropriate audience level: beginner, intermediate, advanced, or all. If more than one level is supported, enter in “other” as “beginner-intermediate,” etc.

Presenters may submit proposals for up to (5) five lectures.

Please do not submit lecture proposals presented at or to be presented at conferences or Texas societies between May 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, or lectures available online.

Proposal & Syllabus Timeline

• March 27, 2024: Presentation proposal deadline.
• April 24, 2024: Notifications of acceptance sent out to speakers.
• May 1, 2024: Deadline for speakers to accept invitation to speak.
• September 15, 2024: Syllabus materials due.

Additional Requirements for Selected Presenters

Selected presenters will also be required to provide the following information and materials for marketing purposes and for the syllabus:

• Photo
• Long biography
• PDF handout for each lecture.

Specific guidelines for the above media items will be sent out with your notification of acceptance.

Submission Process

Proposals should be submitted via the online  SUBMISSION FORM. This is our preferred method of proposal submission. (Firefox or Chrome browsers work best.)

Submissions may also be emailed to conference@txsgs.org using “2024 Call for Presentations” as the subject line. If emailed, speakers should submit proposals in Microsoft Word format. File names should begin with your last name, then your first name, and then the lecture title. (For example, Davis-Sandra-HidingInPlainSight.docx.) If you submit a proposal using the online submission form, please do not also email your submission.

Deliverables

Selected speakers should submit a 2- to 4-page handout by September 15, 2024. The handout and speaker biography will be included in the conference syllabus distributed to conference attendees. Syllabus materials should not contain advertisements of individuals or firms other than Texas State Genealogical Society without approval from TxSGS. Speakers should not sell or promote any product or service during the presentation without TxSGS approval.

Compensation Package

• Conference speakers will receive an honorarium of $225 for each one-hour lecture.
• Additionally, a $25 bonus per lecture will be awarded for materials received by the syllabus submission deadline. All required dates will be outlined in the acceptance letter sent to the speakers.
• Selected speakers will receive a complementary registration to the 2024 TxSGS Family History Conference.

Questions?

If you have questions, please contact the 2024 TxSGS Family History Conference Committee at conference@txsgs.org.