Family history is a fascinating and personal way for everyone to better understand who they are and how our past has shaped us. Genealogy also helps to reveal and strengthen connections between individuals and communities. But how do you get started?
Join the NYG&B and guest speaker Hiroaki Hara for a look at the key essentials for beginning your genealogy journey; resources and tips specific to conducting Okinawan Japanese family history research; and how you can preserve your own New York family stories. The program will begin with a review of genealogy basics with the NYG&B team, and our guest speaker's presentation will start at about twenty minutes in.
Speaker Bio
Hiroaki Hara is a Japanese librarian, genealogist, and researcher of the Okinawan Diaspora, especially the emigrants to Hawaii, South America, and Canada. He works for the Okinawan Prefectural Board of Education.
In 2016, He started the international genealogical research service with descendants of such emigrants at Okinawa Prefectural Library and has managed the project until March, 2025. The project was awarded as The Library of the Year 2024 hosted by the Intellectual Resource Initiative (IRI) in Japan.
He was educated at the Gukushuin University, Japan, and holds a Master's Degree of Library Information Science (MLIS) from the University of Hawaii.
He has conducted historical and genealogical lectures internationally, including IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions)'s Local History and Genealogy Section in 2024.
This series is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
