Newberry Library. Local and Family History Section.

The Local and Family History Section and its predecessor departments have been headed by Harriet Taylor, 1900-1931; Mary L. Watson, 1931-1934; Elisabeth Coleman, 1934-1943; Joseph C. Wolf, 1944-1974; Rick J. Ashton, 1975-1977; Peggy Tuck Sinko, 1978-1983; and David T. Thackery, 1983- .

The Afro-American Family History Outreach Project, funded by the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, 1989-1991, was conceived in 1987 by Local and Family History Section Curator, David T. Thackery.

Delores P. Woodtor, appointed Coordinator in 1989, used conferences, seminars, workshops, etc., to implement the goals of the Project, which were to increase usage of Newberry Library African-American genealogical materials, to arouse interest in family history among the African-American community, to establish in-school programs in fifteen high schools, and to increase Chicago Metro History Fair participation by students at target high schools. The Project also updated the handbook, Afro-American Family History at the Newberrry Library, and assembled a small exhibit.

From its inception, the Newberry Library has collected biographical and genealogical materials, which until 1900 were part of the Department of History.

By 1900, a separate Department of Genealogy, housing family and local histories, had been established on the Library's third floor. Starting in 1915, the Genealogy Department reported to the Public Service (Reference) Division, where it remained until 1962 when Public Services was dismantled. Historical Genealogy (later called Local History and Genealogy) reported directly to the Librarian until 1964 when an Associate Librarian for Library Operations was appointed. Since 1976, Local and Family History (name changed in 1970) has been a Section of the Reader Services Department.