Lost and Found: How DNA Helps Rebuild Ancestral Histories

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania, in partnership with the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, is delighted to host genetic genealogist Blaine Bettinger as its 200th Anniversary signature talk for the theme What’s Your Story? Chronicling Families and Communities. 

Lost and Found: How DNA Helps Rebuild Ancestral Histories explores the remarkable ways DNA advancements allow us to reconstruct the stories of forgotten populations—those affected by family disruptions and incomplete records. This conversational lecture will highlight how genetic tools fill the gaps left by missing paper trails, using relatable success stories to show how DNA brings hidden histories to life. Attendees will gain insight into how DNA connects fragmented families and illuminates ancestral roots, offering a fresh perspective on the possibilities of genetic genealogy without diving into technical processes.

• This event is being offered in a hybrid format. Both onsite and virtual tickets are available. All ticket reservations will include a Zoom link, but only onsite tickets will be honored at the door.
• Onsite tickets include admission to the talk, a reception afterwards, and the exhibit Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affections: Tracing Families in Social Service Records.
• We wish to provide complimentary tickets to current secondary, undergraduate, and graduate students. Please email us at [email protected] and tell us where you are enrolled as a student and in what program.

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP) commemorates its 200th birthday in 2024! Since our founding, we have collected and preserved an astonishing array of documents that bring the people of the past into conversation with us today. We enter our third century eager to invite you to find yourself in history. To connect with the past and make meaningful discoveries about who you are and who we are together. Join us in this endeavor to explore our shared American history. Visit us at hsp.org/200.

Support for HSP’s 200th anniversary programming is generously provided by the Richard C. von Hess Foundation.

Founded in 1892, the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania (GSP) is one of the earliest genealogical societies in the United States, among the first to recognize the value of collecting and preserving the vital and personal records of people whose lives comprise much of our American history. GSP provides leadership and support in promoting genealogy through education, preservation, and access to Pennsylvania-related genealogical information.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, United States