JewishGen Talks: Discovering Jewish Civil War Soldiers through the Shapell Roster and JewishGen

Описание: American Jews made significant contributions during the Civil War, serving on both the Union and Confederate sides in numbers disproportionately high relative to their population. Some Jews served in leadership roles, and others were awarded the Medal of Honor for their bravery. The Shapell Roster of Jewish Service in the American Civil War is a continually expanding digital database documenting the lives and military services of Jewish soldiers and sailors who served on both sides of the conflict. Since its last presentation to JewishGen, the Roster has grown significantly, including major progress in identifying Confederate soldiers. This talk highlights recent additions, explain how the website and database function, show how the Roster can be accessed through JewishGen, and demonstrate how researchers can search the Roster for individuals and families. The webinar also spotlights several compelling soldier stories drawn from newly identified individuals and discuss how genealogists and historians can share information and collaborate with the Shapell Roster research team.

About the Speakers:
Alexandra Apito, Senior Researcher for The Shapell Roster, joined the project in 2013. In addition to her research duties, Apito produces social media content for the Roster. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Historic Preservation and Art & Architectural History, a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI, and studied Preservation and Art in Florence, Italy.

Caitlin Winkler, Senior Researcher for The Shapell Roster. She joined the project in 2012 straight out of law school, fulfilling the team’s quota for a Jewish Civil War nerd. Winkler holds a JD from Washington & Lee University, and a Bachelor in Historic Preservation from the University of Mary Washington. Winkler previously interned with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Land Trust of Virginia before parlaying her legal research skills into the life of history detective work.