What is the Michigan Genealogical Council?

Remember when I said I didn't have a lot of time to blog? The Michigan Genealogical Council (MGC) is one of the reasons. I was voted in as President of MGC this past summer and I am enjoying it immensely. It does require a bit of my time, but it feels good to give back to the Michigan genealogy community.

What is the Michigan Genealogical Council (MGC)? It is different from a state genealogical society in that MGC has societies as our members. MGC doesn't have individuals as members. Michigan doesn't have a Michigan Genealogical Society, but we have over 70 societies that are members of MGC. A complete list is available at our website,   These societies are spread throughout Michigan, both Upper and Lower Peninsula's. We have city, county, regional, ethnic, and other societies as members. Do you have an ancestor that worked for Ford Motor Company? There is a Ford Genealogical Society.

The purpose of MGC is https://mimgc.org/michigan-societies-list/

• to coordinate/stimulate genealogical activities of statewide interest, including seminars.
• Every fall MGC holds a Fall Family History Event. We held one in November and hosted Diahan Southard. November 2020 will feature Sunny Morton.
• MGC works with the Archives of Michigan and helps with their July Abrams Seminar. July 2020 speaker will be Judy Russell, the Legal Genealogist.
• to cooperate in the location, preservation, publication, and deposit in suitable repositories, of Michigan records of value to genealogists.
• MGC works closely with Archives of Michigan and Library of Michigan and other organizations to help in this matter.
• to provide information to the membership regarding speakers, teachers, seminars, and workshops.
• MGC provides a speaker's list to our member societies with updates at least yearly.
• the events calendar part of our website features the larger events in Michigan.
• Our newsletter provides information on seminars and workshops. The newsletter is available for anyone to read at https://mimgc.org/mo_newsletter.php  A new edition will be available in January 2020.
• to encourage and/or work with other organizations or agencies involved in promoting improvements in genealogical facilities and holding of Michigan archives, libraries, museums and record repositories.

MGC board and committee chairpersons meet monthly. I have a wonderful board and they are great when it comes to doing the work of the council.  Check out the board and chairpersons at https://mimgc.org/newsletter/

Six times a year MGC holds delegate meetings. Every member society has two delegates and an alternate. These meetings are open to the public, but typically it is society delegates and Presidents who attend. During these meetings important information is provided for delegates to take back to their society. The business of the council is presented. An education element that is relevant to our societies, in the form of speakers, is presented as well. 

A revised program, Michigan Pioneer Certificates, is now available for those who have ancestors that came to Michigan. Two times periods are awarded certificates and pins. Pre-Statehood is for those who had ancestors in the Michigan Territory before January 26, 1837 and First Families dates are January 26, 1837 to December 31, 1880.  

A brochure with more information is available, as well as the application at our website and the Pioneer Certificates section.

Other information is available on MGC's website. Event calendar, research tools, information on the Library of Michigan and the Archives of Michigan, Records Preservation, and a blog can all be found on the left sidebar.

We don't provide individual research, but we are happy to answer questions about Michigan areas of research and can refer you to the best society to help with your questions. I hope you will take a look at all that Michigan Genealogical Council has to offer.