The PBS series “Finding Your Roots” traces the genealogy of celebrity guests. Following their revealing family history interview with host and Harvard University historian Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., guests are presented a Book of Life (BOLs) as a keepsake. BOLs are handcrafted scrapbooks created by the show’s production team as a gift for each guest. The pages follow the genealogical lines of guests’ paternal and maternal ancestry in fascinating detail.
The hit series has also helped ignite interest in genealogy for everyday people. Although the show recently offered a few lucky non-celebrities the chance to have details of their histories uncovered, most people spend years searching for information about their ancestry.
Are you interested in beginning research around your genealogy? Would you like to create a scrapbook inspired by the Book of Life keepsake from Finding Your Roots?
The goal of this first ever community-based Book of Life (BOL) scrapbook-making workshop is to offer fans of the popular show an inside look into the process used to create BOLs for guests on the show. Using pre-selected family photos, vital records, and/or ephemera, workshop participants create their very own BOL. With the support of local volunteers, the workshop will be led by one of the series’ Associate Producers, Mai Perkins.
This workshop is free and open to the public. All scrapbooking supplies will be provided!
To prepare for the workshop, download the Preparatory Checklist (PDF). This checklist provides details about what participants will need for their BOLs.