November Meeting

November 14, 2009

Topic: Forensic Genealogy

Speaker: Sharon Sergeant

Learn about the field of Forensic Genealogy (don’t let the term scare you), including errors recently reported on Michelle Obama’s roots and Holocaust cases. One such fraud case exposed the true identity of Misha Defonseca. While you may not be working on a high profile case as Sharon has, many of her techniques can be applied to your own genealogical research.

Sharon Sergeant is an adjunct professor at Boston University where she teaches Problem Solving techniques in the genealogical professional development program. She combines technology and the Genealogy Proof Standard methods in modern and antiquarian records. She has published in the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and the PI magazine. Sharon has served as Program Director for local and regional genealogical societies. Recently, she received international acclaim for exposing two Holocaust frauds, the Misha Defonseca “Jewish Hidden Child Aided by Wolves” and Herman Rosenblat "Apple Over the Fence."