--- title: An historic event description: What an amazing opportunity it was to be part of the historic Global Family Reunion held in Queens, New York, on June 6, 2015, image: https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_1262-300x165-1.jpg --- # [Vita Brevis A resource for family history from AmericanAncestors.org](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. # An historic event [June 08, 2015](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2015/06/historic-event) [News](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/tag/news), [Spotlight](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/tag/spotlight), [Family stories](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/tag/family-stories) [David Allen Lambert](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/author/dalambert) [![At Saturday's Global Family Reunion](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_1262-300x165-1.jpg?width=300&height=165&name=IMG_1262-300x165-1.jpg)](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_1262-1.jpg) At Saturday's Global Family Reunion ‪What an amazing opportunity it was to be part of the historic [Global Family Reunion](http://vita-brevis.org/2015/06/24-degrees-separation/) held in Queens, New York, on June 6, 2015, where I had the chance to meet NEHGS members, longtime friends and colleagues in the field of genealogy, and more than 3,500 new "cousins"! ‪The day started out grey and the ground was wet from previous days of rain. This did not dampen the spirits of countless "cousins" visiting the vendor tents of Findmypast, FamilySearch, Geni, and MyHeritage. Starting in the morning and throughout the late afternoon, countless familiar names in the field of genealogy lectured and presented on topics from family photographs to complex discussions on DNA research. While attending I had the chance to assist my friend and colleague, Scott Fisher, on and off stage. This allowed me to chat with colleagues who presented, including Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., David Rencher, Josh Taylor, Cece Moore, Maureen Taylor, and many others. I was also honored to chat genealogy with TV personalities Ted Allen of *Chopped*, Marilu Henner from *Taxi*, singer Lisa Loeb, and the group Sister Sledge, who invited me on stage to dance with them while they sang their hit "We are Family"! [![With A. J. Jacobs](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_1263-202x300-Apr-21-2023-05-18-39-4667-PM.jpg?width=202&height=300&name=IMG_1263-202x300-Apr-21-2023-05-18-39-4667-PM.jpg)](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_1263-Apr-21-2023-05-18-39-7736-PM.jpg) With A. J. Jacobs ‪Earlier that day, after participating in the largest family group portrait ever taken, I was on stage again. On behalf of NEHGS, I presented the organizer of this historic event, A. J. Jacobs, with an honorary membership for his efforts in creating the amazing Global Family Reunion. Later in the day I had a chance to chat with A.J. about the event, and we discussed the importance of family stories and documenting records for future generations. Just then A.J.'s young son came over and hugged him. This young boy was the same age I was when I first got interested in genealogy. I told A.J's son I hope he would someday carry on the tradition started today by his dad. He smiled and shook my hand. I believe many families with children gained a larger sense of family and genealogy at this event. A family tree was planted Saturday in Queens – I hope it grows and grows! ### Share this: - [mailto:?body=https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2015/06/historic-event](mailto:?body=https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2015/06/historic-event) - - - More - - ![David Allen Lambert](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/hubfs/David_Lambert_Jan25%20(2).jpg) ## About David Allen Lambert David Allen Lambert has been on the staff of American Ancestors since 1993 and is the organization’s Chief Genealogist. David is an internationally recognized speaker on the topics of genealogy and history. Lambert has published many articles in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, the New Hampshire Genealogical Record, Rhode Island Roots, Mayflower Descendant, and American Ancestors magazine. He has authored and or co-authored in the published genealogies presented to David McCullough, Ken Burns, Angela Lansbury, Michael and Kitty Dukakis, Nathaniel Philbrick, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. He has also published eleven books including A Guide to Massachusetts Cemeteries (American Ancestors, 2018), and Vital Records of Stoughton, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1850 (Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, 2008). David received his B.A. in History from Northeastern University. David is an elected Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston, Mass., and a life member of the New Hampshire Society of the Cincinnati and the General Society of the War of 1812. David also serves as the tribal genealogist for the Massachusett Tribe at Punkapoag in Massachusetts. Areas of expertise: New England and Atlantic Canadian records of the 17th through 21st century; American and international military records; DNA research; and Native American and African American genealogical research in New England.[View all posts by David Allen Lambert →](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/author/dalambert) [← Collecting published accounts](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2015/06/collecting-published-accounts) [Twenty-four degrees of separation →](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2015/06/24-degrees-separation) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ### Recent Posts [Sailor Bill and His Forgotten Wife](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/sailor-bill-and-his-forgotten-wife) [Professor X](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/professor-x) [Part I: Malaga Island, Maine](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/part-i-malaga-island-maine) [The Norwegian folge](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/the-norwegian-folge) [Research…in a Miniskirt? 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