American genealogical research and lineage society membership: public perceptions and their impact on the field of genealogy

The study of genealogy has shifted focus in the United States from purely antiquarian studies of the 19th century to the mainstream media of the 21st. Americans have suffered from a love-hate relationship with the field, particularly when it comes to the subject of lineage societies. These organizations, whose membership is based on genealogical proof of descent from an applicable ancestor, have thrived and multiplied even when the media, and public perception, classified them as elitist, classist, and often racist organizations. This presentation focuses on the public perceptions of these organizations, how many have shaped the field of genealogy in the United States, and the preliminary results of a Ph.D. study analyzing their impact on American society and the field of genealogy.