Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls! Welcome to the Academy of Genealogy and Family History’s 2009 IGene Awards!  Tonight, we showcase the Best of GeneaBlogie for the past year.

IGene Award

Best Comedy

Which was the best funny story, poem, joke, photo, or video that appeared here in 2008?

In the category of Best Comedy, there were three nominations:

Yes, Virginia, You Are a Hamm!
1968-A Personal Memoir: Van Buren Junior High School
1968-A Personal Memoir: Presidential Politics

Okay, so 2008 wasn’t our funniest year!  The winner is Yes, Virignia, You Are a Hamm!

Best Picture

The best old family photo that appeared here in 2008.  There wre also three nominees in this category:

My Favorite Photograph
Crowning Glory Indeed!
John and Maggie Lewis

The voting was especially competitive in this category.   By the slimmest margin possible, the IGene goes to John and Maggie Lewis!

John & Maggie Lewis

Best Screen Play

The family story shared in 2008 that would make the best movie and who would be cast . . . ?

This award was easy:  the IGene for best screenplay goes to The Family Cars, Part I and Part II.  Casting of the major roles would be:   Don Cheadle as Dad; Halle Berry as Mom.

Best Documentary

The best informational article about a place, thing, or event involving  family history in 2008?

This was the most difficult category. But since I have absolute discretion here, the IGene goes to Carnival of Genealogy: Gulf Coast Summer 1962.

Best Biography

The best biographical article of 2008.

Another very difficult category! After  much deliberation, the judges award the IGene to A Loving Legacy.

Now here’s a list of other top posts from 2008 that we hope you’ll visit again and tell the Academy (me) if we made the right choices for this year’s IGenes!

• January
  • Will the Real Julia McDavid Please Stand up?
  • Reading, Lately
  • To  Tell the Genealogical Truth
• February
  • Good Bye to A Great Friend
  • Copyright Issues: Photographs
  • Black Catholics in America: Who was the first African-American Priest?
  • Black History Month: Dr. Rebecca Davis Lee Crumpler
  • The American Heroes Series:
    • Wilson and Shadrach of Andrews’ Raiders
    • Sgt Leslie H. Sabo, Jr.
    • MSgt Woodrow W. Keeble
  • Black History Month: Alpha Kappa Alpha
• March
  • Catholic Genealogy: Latin Lesson
  • “Open” State Vital Records: The Bad and the Ugly
  • Open State Vital Records: Some of the Best States
  • Publishing with Help from Ancestry.com
• May
  • The National Cemeteries
• June
  • Research Note: Don’t Overlook the Simple Way!
  • Research Tip: Slaves and Slavs in the U.S. Census (and how to tell the difference!)
• July
  • From Catholic Records to Illinois Slave Records
  • Doing Some Hard Genealogy With Catholic Records
  • A Surprise Using FamilySearch’s Record Search
  • A Memorable Visit
• August
  • Why Genealogists Make Mistakes
  • Ten Books Essential for Genealogists: Some “Different” Thinking
• September
  • Newspapers in Genealogy: I learn Something About my Father