George Aghjayan will be offering an online program titled “Researching Your Armenian Roots,” sponsored by the Memorial Hall Library in Andover, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Register online for the presentation.

The common misconception that all records related to Armenian heritage have been completely erased has been disproved with the help of social media, DNA testing and crowd-sourced translation projects. Many new Armenian documents are now coming to light. Aghjayan will review how available records can help the Armenian community reclaim its identity and find agency in the face of the crimes that have displaced and separated families over the last 125 years.

Aghjayan has actively researched Armenian genealogy for several decades. He is the director of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Archives and certificate holder from the Boston University Genealogical Studies Program. After a career in both insurance and finance, Aghjayan retired in 2014 to concentrate on Armenian-related research and projects, including family history work. He is a frequent contributor to the Armenian Weekly and Houshamadyan.org, and the creator and curator of westernarmenia.weebly.com, a website dedicated to the preservation of Armenian culture in Western Armenia.

“I’m the local history librarian in Andover, Massachusetts. We have lots of genealogy programs, but never one about Armenians. Lawrence/Merrimack Valley has a sizable Armenian population — so I read about George and called him up,” Stephanie Aude, the Reference and Local History Librarian at Memorial Hall Library, told the Weekly when asked about the development of this event.

“Genealogy continues to be important for Armenians in their tenacity in maintaining their identity,” Aghjayan said. “I feel fortunate to share my experiences with others and thank the Memorial Hall Library in Andover for hosting this event.”

This virtual program will be recorded. A link to the recording will be shared with everyone who registers