Jim Ison, a nationally and internationally recognized genealogist, will be the guest speaker at Family Discovery Day – a free event hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) on Saturday, Feb. 24 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the LDS stake center, 3067 Ooltewah Ringgold Road in Ooltewah.
 
“We are fortunate to have an accredited genealogist like Mr. Ison come to Chattanooga and participate as a guest speaker at Family Discovery Day – an event that is free for anyone and everyone,” Mrs. Gloria Smartt, Family History consultant for the Chattanooga Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said.  
 
Mr. Ison is an accredited genealogist, a past board member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and past trustee of the John Parker Historical Society.  He has presented at the National Genealogical Society and Federation of Genealogical Societies conferences, Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society annual conferences, International Black History Summits, National Archives and Records Administration Region IV annual Black History conferences and other prominent genealogy conferences.  His articles have appeared in the NGS Magazine and in Crossroads.  He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, and George Washington University.  For 12 years prior to his retirement, Mr. Ison worked as a manager at FamilySearch – the "largest genealogy organization in the world."  
 
“FamilySearch.org has billions of historical records from around the world that users can explore online,” Mrs. Smartt stated.  “Jim will guide us through this process.  In fact, we will be hosting a Q&A booth and workshops that will include tips for using FamilySearch to find ancestors and how to save family photos, stories, documents and audio.  We will even help you sign up for a free online FamilySearch account.  Whether you are a beginner or an advanced genealogist, Jim will be available to answer your questions about how to discover and preserve your family heritage.
 
“As previously reported, in honor of Black History month, we will have specialized workshops that focus on the Freedmen’s Bureau Records Project, as well as other resources for African American Research.  For further information, you may email us at preserveheritage2018@gmail.com and register online at preserveyourheritage.eventbrite.com.
 
“Again, we look forward to welcoming you on Saturday, Feb. 24 for this special event which is open to the public.  For those who may not be able to attend Family Discovery Day, we invite you to visit us during regular hours of operation on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:30 p.m., or by appointment at the Chattanooga Tennessee Family History Center, 3067 Ooltewah Ringgold Road in Ooltewah.”