The University Libraries’ Genealogy Over Lunch series will dive into the work behind an award-winning thesis that traces the story of two Black sisters who, in 1858, escaped enslavement in Nebraska Territory.

The virtual presentation, which will be led Gail Shaffer Blankenau, writer of the thesis, is 11:30 a.m. May 20 and offered via Zoom. Registration is required.

Blankenau, who earned a Master of Arts in history, is on a mission to help genealogists to succeed with discovering family history. She regularly shares her research and advice in a variety of publications and speaks on genealogy at local, state, and national conferences, as well as at the Legacy Family Tree webinars online. She specializes in Germanic genealogy, Midwestern and Nebraska roots, as well as lineage research. She also served as a consulting researcher for William G. Thomas IIII’s award-winning book, “A Question of Freedom: The Families Who Challenged Slavery from the Nation’s Founding to the Civil War” (2020 Yale University Press). Read more about her work.

Genealogy over Lunch is a University Libraries’ group designed to help individuals explore and organize family history, and meets every third Thursday of the month. The group is open to all faculty, staff and students.