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Part 2 of our interview with David W. Jackson dives deeper into the creation and distribution of your Do It Yourself Genealogy Book.

"My Jackson family identified as Caucasian for the last five generations, but after 30 years of genealogical research I rediscovered a family secret. My great-great-grandfather, Arthur Jackson, was born an African-American slave in Virginia in 1856."

David W. Jackson, founder of the Orderly Pack Rat and author of "Born a Slave," reveals the hidden chapters of his family's past. He has written or contributed to over 60 titles. David shares his unique strategies for structuring his book, the importance of timelines, and the breakthroughs achieved through "cluster research."

Get an insider's perspective on the world of self-publishing as David provides invaluable tips on managing citations, the nuances between self-publishing and traditional publishing, and the challenges of promoting one's work. Learn about his experiences with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).

David W. Jackson
[email protected]
orderlypackrat.weebly.com

Support the show

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

Let us know what you think!

"My Jackson family identified as Caucasian for the last five generations, but after 30 years of genealogical research I rediscovered a family secret. My great-great-grandfather, Arthur Jackson, was born an African-American slave in Virginia in 1856."

David W. Jackson, founder of the Orderly Pack Rat and author of "Born a Slave," reveals the hidden chapters of his family's past. He has written or contributed to over 60 titles. David shares his unique strategies for structuring his book, the importance of timelines, and the breakthroughs achieved through "cluster research."

Get an insider's perspective on the world of self-publishing as David provides invaluable tips on managing citations, the nuances between self-publishing and traditional publishing, and the challenges of promoting one's work. Learn about his experiences with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).

David W. Jackson
[email protected]
orderlypackrat.weebly.com

Support the show

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

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June is a busy month!
We start by celebrating Pride Month and ourJune Newsletter,  Secret's Revealed,  that gives hints on researching your ancestors' secrets.   
One of our best historical secrets held from textbooks takes us to  Southern Claims Commission, where ex-slaves and free coloreds joined enslavers to navigate the complexities of Civil War property claims. Were your ancestors  named in these underutilized documents? Now that's a way to celebrate Juneteenth!

Speaking of secrets, we uncover one held by FamilytreeDNA. Their policies are muddied by an unannounced policy change . Find out which policy has been proven not to be honored on FamilyTreeDNA. 
Join us on Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen as we tackle genealogical and ethical secrets  uncovered.  

Support the show

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

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In this episode, we answer inquiries from the HTB Mailbag.  
Are you relying on online resources and phone communication to conduct remote research? Kathleen offers some tips to effectively communicate with repositories when conducting remote research. 

Are there strategies or resources to explore in order to successfully access newspaper publications that have not yet been digitized without traveling? 

Are you prepared to hand off your genealogical quest to an overseas researcher? Kathleen offers a framework of what's needed to uncover your immigrant ancestor's story using a professional overseas researcher.

Support the show

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

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Let's get techy with the latest Artificial intelligence tool from FamilySearch that's rewriting the rules on historical record-sleuthing.

Plus,  family reunion planning; mistakes made & lessons learned.

 Keep those genealogy questions coming!

Support the show

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

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Have you ever peered into your family tree and found a story that's tangled, moving, and a little surprising? That's exactly what Kathleen and I discuss in our latest podcast episode.

Kathleen answers two emails on air from the HTB Mailbag:

1.  A compelling case is presented where a man seeks to understand his uncle's paternity, bringing to light the sensitive nature of uncovering hidden truths within our lineage. 

2. A question on the ethics of genealogy research, emphasizing the importance of clear communication and honest cost transparency. 

Support the show

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

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We kick off Season 4 of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen covering military research at the National Archives, St. Louis with Lori Berdak Miller of Redbird Research.
What if your ancestor's military personnel records were lost in the 1973  Fire? 
Lori gives hints on reconstructing these lost records.
Her passion as a document retriever and military researcher shines through as she shares her finds within these military archival records.
Contact Lori at Redbird Research

Support the show

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

Let us know what you think!

Support the show

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

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Is Black and White genealogy research different?

John dropped by the office to have a chat with Kathleen.  It gets personal!

linktr.ee/hittinthebricks 

Support the show

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.
 

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Have you ever hit a brickwall in your family history research that seemed insurmountable? Howard Murray joined us from Colorado to trace his elusive two times great-grandmother Francis/Frances. She vanished from records between 1880 and 1900. Our HTB with Kathleen conversation offers strategies that you may use to leap over similar hurdles.

Surprise: Family ties emerge as Howard and Kathleen uncover their shared DNA connection from Saline County, Missouri and Pratt County, KS ancestors. 

Our chat with Howard is an episode you won't want to miss. Join us and possibly find the missing piece in your family legacy!

Support the show

Be sure to bookmark linktr.ee/hittinthebricks  for your one stop access to Kathleen Brandt, the host of Hittin' the Bricks with Kathleen. And, visit us on YouTube: @HTBKRB with Kathleen John and Chewey video recorded specials. 

Hittin' the Bricks is produced through the not-for-profit, 501c3 TracingAncestors.org.