Genealogy is everywhere – online, on screens, and through organizations and conferences and more.  But technologies aside, genealogy was everywhere in the 18th century, too.  And while we may think of 18th century Americans as largely the subject of genealogy research, they were active participants in what was a foundational interest and practice in their own time. Family histories were deeply meaningful for diverse early Americans, but it was also baked into the very structures of their society through law, politics, and religion.  From deep research across 18th century British America, Karin Wulf’s new book, Lineage: Genealogy and the Power of Connection in Early America examines how we can understand the role of genealogy then, and its impact now.

Karin Wulf is the Director and Librarian of the John Carter Brown Library, and Professor of History at Brown University. A historian of early America focused on gender, family, and politics, she writes widely for both public and academic audiences about history, the worlds of research and scholarship, and libraries and archives. She serves on a variety of non-profit boards, is involved in planning for the semiquincentennial in July 2026, and is a Vice-President of the American Historical Association.

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