Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Reclaim The Records

Marian Burk Wood @climbingfamilytree.bsky.social · Sep 7

#Genealogy #FamilyHistory The US Veterans Admin sent an almost empty page in response to FOIA request for Dad's military/health records (WWII service). @reclaimtherecords.org recommends appealing & my appeal is complicated by my nameless birth cert climbingmyfamilytree.blogspot.com/2025/09/appe...

Appealing the VA's Skinny Extract of Dad's Claims File

Genealogy research and commentary by Marian Burk Wood, speaker and author of "Planning a Future for Your Family's Past," available from Amazon.com.

climbingmyfamilytree.blogspot.com

2 1 6

Reposted by Reclaim The Records

Jocelyn @historygirl.bsky.social · Sep 1

Just re requested my grandfather's files with my mother so she can easily appeal the denial as next of kin. I just really want to know what they wrote when he went missing in France and then when they found him in England thanks to my Grandma getting a letter from him.

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · Aug 31

NEW: We just published 1.5 million NEW BIRLS records for 2020-2023, ALL FREE -- but now the VA doesn't want you to see any of them!

Read all about it in our latest newsletter:
mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...

Reclaim The Records

We’re Reclaim The Records, a new not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. We identify important genealogical records sets that ought to be...

mailchi.mp

1 4

Reposted by Reclaim The Records

Amelia Howard @akhoward.bsky.social · Sep 1

I received numerous denials in the mail recently, which made me absolutely livid. I will absolutely appeal if able.

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · Aug 31

NEW: We just published 1.5 million NEW BIRLS records for 2020-2023, ALL FREE -- but now the VA doesn't want you to see any of them!

Read all about it in our latest newsletter:
mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...

Reclaim The Records

We’re Reclaim The Records, a new not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. We identify important genealogical records sets that ought to be...

mailchi.mp

1 8

Reposted by Reclaim The Records

Julie in STL @hyperhouse.bsky.social · Aug 31

I finally had my FOIA fulfilled for my great grandfather, only for it to be bare bones textual genealogical information and not scans of his WWI file. Waiting for the language to understand how I can best appeal.

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · Aug 31

NEW: We just published 1.5 million NEW BIRLS records for 2020-2023, ALL FREE -- but now the VA doesn't want you to see any of them!

Read all about it in our latest newsletter:
mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...

Reclaim The Records

We’re Reclaim The Records, a new not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. We identify important genealogical records sets that ought to be...

mailchi.mp

5 1 12

Reposted by Reclaim The Records

Tyler Dukes @mtdukes.bsky.social · Aug 31

Got one of these FOIA denials in response to records for my and @kneld.bsky.social’s grandfather’s files. Ready to appeal!

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · Aug 31

NEW: We just published 1.5 million NEW BIRLS records for 2020-2023, ALL FREE -- but now the VA doesn't want you to see any of them!

Read all about it in our latest newsletter:
mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...

Reclaim The Records

We’re Reclaim The Records, a new not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. We identify important genealogical records sets that ought to be...

mailchi.mp

2 6

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · Aug 31

NEW: We just published 1.5 million NEW BIRLS records for 2020-2023, ALL FREE -- but now the VA doesn't want you to see any of them!

Read all about it in our latest newsletter:
mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...

Reclaim The Records

We’re Reclaim The Records, a new not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. We identify important genealogical records sets that ought to be...

mailchi.mp

1 12 23

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · Aug 26

BTW, we wrote the custom software seen here processing the state gazetteer. And we plan to open source it, GPLv3!

In case, like, any of you guys also want to go geocode enormous data sets of locations, some of which are tiny hamlets, possibly with spelling mistakes, maybe no longer extant. Fun!

1 11

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · Aug 26

First we fight and win a four year public records lawsuit, but *then* we really get to work making the data free and usable...

*cracks knuckles, goes back to coding*

Screenshot of the geocoding of the New York State Death Index 1880-2017

3 1 20

Reposted by Reclaim The Records

Steven Vondrak @svondrak.bsky.social · Aug 20

Czech immigrant ancestral village search success story thanks to @reclaimtherecords.org helping get the NYC vital record images published.

From all US records, only an 1878 birth record showed the birth locations of the parents. Kuttenberg is the German exonym for Kutna Hora.

#Genealogy #Czech

1 1 9

Reposted by Reclaim The Records

Karen Pickell @karenpickell.bsky.social · Jul 31

Received my first C-File yesterday! Had requested via @reclaimtherecords.org on Dec 28 & had received notice that file would be coming on Feb 25. Some info redacted in case ppl still living. Was not expecting much for this vet but still got a few new insights. Waiting on 3 more. 🙂

7 3 14

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · Jul 30

A HINT for our long-time fans:
Did you know that some states keep the ONLY copy of their official data in FoxPro, a database system that has been defunct for DECADES? And when the clerk who knew how to use it retired, the state pretended no more data could be exported from it? 🙃

4 2 20

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · Jul 30

We just got notice that a Freedom of Information request we made for a certain state's vital records index in August 2020, heard as a contested case in August 2021, was finally decided in our favor...

That's nearly five years. FIVE YEARS! 😤

But we won. New data coming soon. 😊

2 8 63

Reposted by Reclaim The Records

Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) @apgenealogists.bsky.social · Jun 20

APG has issued a letter to the Mayor of Washington, D.C., urging the reinstatement of funding for the planned DC State Archives building. This vital project protects historical records & supports ongoing research efforts. www.apgen.org/docs/3_June_...

3 7

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · Jun 14

OUR BILL PASSED the New York State Assembly yesterday -- UNANIMOUSLY! 🤩

It's still not a done deal yet. It has to go to the governor, and be signed, and not have last-minute line-item edits or a veto.

But we are now SO much closer to reforming New York's vital records access!

a cartoon drawing of a man wearing a shirt that says law .

ALT: a cartoon drawing of a man wearing a shirt that says law .

media.tenor.com

16 69

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · Jun 12

UPDATE: The proposed state bill we're supporting to put millions of scanned-and-indexed older New York vital records online PASSED the NYS Senate today, 50-9!

Now it needs to go through the Assembly...

You can subscribe to the bill's progress here:

www.nysenate.gov/legislation/...

a close up of a cat 's face with the words ( heavy breathing ) below it .

Alt: a close up of a cat 's face with the words ( heavy breathing ) below it .

media.tenor.com

7 35

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · Jun 12

Thank you! We like cake. 😊

1

Reposted by Reclaim The Records

Kathleen Lenihan @kathleenlenihan.bsky.social · Jun 2

When Reclaim the Records shows up, institutions should save themselves the time and money and just give them the records. RTC is going to win. #genealogy

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · May 31

Ahem. The latest issue of our newsletter is finally out. It's a big one.

WE WON THE FULL NEW YORK STATE DEATH INDEX, THE WHOLE THING, 1880-2017, WE BEAT THE LARGEST GOVERNMENT AGENCY IN NEW YORK AND WE'RE SETTING MORE THAN TEN MILLION RECORDS FREEEEEE

Read all about it:
mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...

Reclaim The Records

We’re Reclaim The Records, a new not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. We identify important genealogical records sets that ought to be...

mailchi.mp

6 21

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · May 31

Here's the official video of our intrepid attorney-by-day (and genealogist-by-night) Michael Moritz bravely arguing (and winning!) our case at the New York State Court of Appeals, in case you want to see an episode of "Law and Order: Special Genealogy Unit".
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEFf...

No. 49 Matter of Reclaim the Records v NYSDOH

YouTube video by New York State Court Of Appeals

www.youtube.com

2 5 22

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · May 31

Ahem. The latest issue of our newsletter is finally out. It's a big one.

WE WON THE FULL NEW YORK STATE DEATH INDEX, THE WHOLE THING, 1880-2017, WE BEAT THE LARGEST GOVERNMENT AGENCY IN NEW YORK AND WE'RE SETTING MORE THAN TEN MILLION RECORDS FREEEEEE

Read all about it:
mailchi.mp/reclaimthere...

Reclaim The Records

We’re Reclaim The Records, a new not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. We identify important genealogical records sets that ought to be...

mailchi.mp

3 33 120

Reposted by Reclaim The Records

Megan Smolenyak @megansmolenyak.com · May 30

Another amazing victory for @reclaimtherecords.org - and, of course, all genealogists! 👏👏👏

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · May 29

You guys...? We did it. 🥰

We won the FULL NEW YORK STATE DEATH INDEX FOR 1880-2017!

We beat the largest government agency in the state of New York (@nysdoh.bsky.social), in the highest court of the state, through a Freedom of Information Law (#FOIL) suit.
www.reclaimtherecords.org/records-requ...

The FULL New York State Death Index, 1880-2017 - Reclaim The Records

www.reclaimtherecords.org

1 20

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · May 29

You guys...? We did it. 🥰

We won the FULL NEW YORK STATE DEATH INDEX FOR 1880-2017!

We beat the largest government agency in the state of New York (@nysdoh.bsky.social), in the highest court of the state, through a Freedom of Information Law (#FOIL) suit.
www.reclaimtherecords.org/records-requ...

The FULL New York State Death Index, 1880-2017 - Reclaim The Records

www.reclaimtherecords.org

10 44 170

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · May 29

big big big news that's been YEARS in the making

and tomorrow's the day when we're finally going to tell you guys all about it

but for tonight, enjoy a little hint (lawyer-approved) 😊

Screenshot of case caption for New York State Court of Appeals case: Reclaim The Records vs. New York State Department of Health

2 29 180

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · May 27

We know you've all been oh-so-patiently waiting for our promised press release about that "big case that we won".

But look, we didn't want to send it out right before a three-day weekend!

Hang on, very good news is coming soon. 😎

9

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · May 22

We just got big news in our biggest-ever lawsuit. 😳

AND IT’S GOOOOOOOD

press release dropping soon

4 8 150

Reclaim The Records @reclaimtherecords.org · May 20

Another update! The bill we helped develop and are supporting, to get scanned New York State historical records PUT ONLINE, to enshrine the indices as OPEN under state #FOIL, and to ENSURE access to historic records is moving! More progress!

assembly.ny.gov/leg/?default...

Bill Search and Legislative Information | New York State Assembly

News and Information from the New York State Assembly

assembly.ny.gov

4 22