Board for Certification of Genealogists

Board for Certification of Genealogists
Name	Board for Certification of Genealogists
Formation	1964
Type	Nonprofit professional certification body
Headquarters	Arlington, Virginia
Leader title	President

Board for Certification of Genealogists is a nonprofit professional organization that provides credentialing and standards for practitioners in family history and lineage research. It issues certifications that signal adherence to rigorous evidentiary, methodological, and reporting standards used in work for clients, archives, courts, and scholarly publication. The organization interacts with repositories, societies, academic institutions, and practitioners across North America and internationally.

History

The organization was established in 1964 amid growing professionalization trends exemplified by institutions such as Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Society of Genealogists, and Society of American Archivists. Early leaders drew on precedents set by figures associated with Daughters of the American Revolution, Sons of the American Revolution, Mayflower Society, Silver Fox Society and scholarly genealogists linked to Harvard University, Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, and University of Michigan. The body engaged with standards promulgated in venues such as Journal of American History, National Genealogical Society Quarterly, American Genealogist, and with projects at Library and Archives Canada and Society of Genealogists (United Kingdom). Across the 1970s and 1980s it responded to genealogical controversies involving lineage claims, collaborating with experts connected to Smithsonian Institution, Newberry Library, Historic New England, and courts including those in District of Columbia. In later decades it intersected with innovations from Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, MyHeritage, and digital repositories like Internet Archive and HathiTrust, influencing professional practice amid debates involving Federal Trade Commission guidance, standards by American Historical Association, and collection policies at National Portrait Gallery.

Mission and Standards

Its stated mission aligns with the pursuit of competence in documentary analysis and citation, aiming to protect clients, repositories, and the public by endorsing practitioners akin to standards in American Society of Genealogists fellowships and scholarly norms found at American Historical Association, Royal Historical Society, and Modern Language Association. Standards emphasize sourcing comparable to practices at The National Archives (UK), Public Record Office, and archival methods used in projects from Wellcome Trust, Smithsonian Institution Archives, and Bancroft Library. The organization’s policy documents reference citation formats similar to guides used by Chicago Manual of Style, and professional expectations comparable to credentials in fields represented by American Medical Association, American Bar Association, and Institute of Certified Bookkeepers for quality assurance. Ethical guidelines parallel codes maintained by Association of Professional Genealogists, Society of American Archivists, and International Council on Archives, emphasizing accuracy in dealings with courts, lineage societies, museums, and libraries.

Certification Process

Candidates submit work samples, narratives, and portfolios of case files judged against criteria mirroring peer review systems used by Nature (journal), Science (journal), Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and disciplinary reviews at American Historical Review. Examiners—selected from a pool of experienced practitioners affiliated with American Society of Genealogists, National Genealogical Society, Association of Professional Genealogists, and university programs at Brigham Young University, University of Strathclyde, and University of Leicester—evaluate methodology, citation, and conclusions. The certification includes renewal and continuing competence processes analogous to recertification used by American Institute of Certified Planners and Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics, and it addresses appeals procedures similar to adjudication mechanisms at American Arbitration Association.

Governance and Organization

Governance is carried out by a board of directors and committees, with roles titled president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary mirroring organizational structures found at National Trust for Historic Preservation, Royal Society, American Antiquarian Society, and Brookings Institution. Committees handle certification review, ethics, appeals, outreach, and publications and work with allied groups including National Genealogical Society, Federation of Genealogical Societies, Association of Professional Genealogists, New England Historic Genealogical Society, and international partners such as Society of Genealogists (United Kingdom) and International Commission for Maritime History. Administrative operations coordinate with professional service providers and nonprofit standards bodies like Council on Foundations.

Publications and Research Contributions

The organization publishes standards, policy statements, syllabi, and bibliographies used by practitioners and educators, contributing to discourse in outlets such as National Genealogical Society Quarterly, American Ancestors, American Genealogist, Journal of American History, and trade catalogs from Ancestry.com and FamilySearch. It has produced model case studies, citation guides, and teaching materials cited in university courses at Brigham Young University, University of Strathclyde, University of Leicester, University of Strathclyde, and training programs by Association of Professional Genealogists. These publications have informed exhibits at institutions like New-York Historical Society, National Museum of American History, and collections at Newberry Library.

Notable Fellows and Certified Genealogists

Among those recognized are genealogists and historians with affiliations to American Society of Genealogists, National Genealogical Society, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Brigham Young University, Harvard University, Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Michigan, Columbia University, University of Leicester, University of Strathclyde, Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, MyHeritage, Association of Professional Genealogists, Federation of Genealogical Societies, and Society of American Archivists. These individuals have authored works in National Genealogical Society Quarterly, American Ancestors, American Genealogist, and monographs held by Library of Congress and British Library, and have contributed to projects involving Mayflower Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, Sons of the American Revolution, and lineage research for museums such as Museum of the American Revolution.

Category:Genealogy