Spring 2026 OLLI Digital Catalog – under construction 

USING DNA TO BREAK DOWN BRICK WALLS IN GENEALOGY RESEARCH (E241)

E – Genealogy

This course examines the intersection of genealogy, DNA analysis and social history, exploring how larger historical forces such as slavery, immigration, colonization and the Holocaust shaped family lines across continents and generations. Participants learn to use DNA tools to solve “brick wall” mysteries and uncover hidden family stories. Includes discussion and hands-on lab experience using UD database resources, with guided opportunities to interpret DNA results and build family trees. No prior genealogy experience required, just curiosity and a desire to connect your family’s past to broader human history.

This offering meets for a total of 13 session(s).

INSTRUCTOR: Janice Roots

ROOTS, JANICE — B.A., psychology, Cheyney University. Community advocate, retired medical education administrator, and descendent of those sold at the Great Slave Auction of 1859. Working at the intersection of history, public health and reparative justice, she brings a grounded, personal voice to historical inquiry and has spoken on memory, place and the long aftermath of. With more than 30 years of genealogical research experience, Janice has successfully used traditional records and DNA evidence to trace ancestral lines and connect with descendants across generations and regions. (E241)

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