52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge [closed]

+54 votes
3.3k views
This is a challenge put out into the genealogy community by Amy Johnson Crow.

http://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

She will provide a weekly prompt for each week in 2018 and you can choose an ancestor or a relative who fits the profile for that week and write about them, provide a memory or a photo, or do something, anything with them.

I was wondering if anyone was interested. This is a forum and forums are perfect for this kind of stuff. I can provide the weekly prompt and post a new prompt thread each week.

Anyone who wants to can post their ancestor for that prompt - and a link to their profile if there is one. The prompt may even encourage you to get that ancestor onto wikitree if they are not already there.

Make this year (2018) the year you do something with your genealogy (other than just putting it up on wikitree).

Here are some details:

https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

If you think you want to join, just sign up here so I know if I should continue with this or not.

I've never done this before but I am here at the right time and I want to do this!!
closed with the note: Challenge event now ended
in The Tree House by Robynne Lozier G2G Astronaut (1.2m points)
closed by Robynne Lozier
I have made a Space Page on which I will be posting each weekly thread so that they are easy to find. You are welcome to bookmark that page.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:52_Ancestors_for_52_Weeks_in_2018_Challenge

You will not be able to post anything to this Space Page. But you can obviously click the links to get to each weekly thread.

This all helps with organization and keeping track of 50+ threads!!
Excellent. If you need a Leader's help, let me know. I wonder if we can start a new TAG for it, like simply one called "52"?

G2G Moderators, Team: Can we do that?
A tag called 52_Ancestors would be great, if someone can arrange that!! Thanks!!

Have added those tags (tags and moderators) to the question, so they can be seen

As an added incentive, Eowyn, the Forest Elf, and Chris Whitten, have agreed to give a badge to anyone who actually completes all 52 ancestors for the whole year!! I kid you not!! This is what she sent me in an email.

 

We love the idea of this challenge Robynne, thanks for thinking of it and getting something going!

I asked Aleš if we can use a tracker for it.  People can mark off one ancestor a week. 

Chris said we can do a badge for anyone who gets to 52.

 

Just so you are aware, these prompts that we will receive are quite broad and open ended and can be interpreted in any meaningful way to you!. They will not be (or should not be) specific.

For example. One prompt was the word, KING - and one blogger used the Kings Daughters (Filles du Roi - from Canada) as her interpretation, as she had several of the Filles du Roi as her ancestors.

ETA - Another person used an ancestor whose surname was Roy. WHY? Because Roy is the english version of Roi, which is the french word for King!!

I might add this interpretation to the Space page!!

Also Prompt release days will be on Monday during 2018.

And please note the new TAG we now have -  52_ancestors - please use this for all posts related to this challenge, Thank you.

To clear things about this badge. It will be a reward at the end of the year after you have completed 52 posts about ancestors for 52 prompts.

You are perfectly free to write about more than one ancestor or relative each week for that weeks prompt, and post links to each of them on the weekly G2G thread for the rest of us to read.

You are also free to post your weekly responses on any other social media of your choice (Facebook, Instagram, Blogs, Tumblr, etc etc) as well. Just be sure to drop a link on the weekly thread here at G2G so we can all go and read them. A link to the relatives wikitree profile as well, would also be nice too. If they don't have a profile, then this would be the perfect opportunity to make one!!
Ooh, I love the badge as added incentive! :) Question: for the purposes of this badge are we required to stick with the prompts? I know they can be interpreted however one wants, but I was planning on going through my family tree systematically, ie. all great grandparents, then all great great grandparents, etc...
Lianne,

I dont think the prompts will be so narrow as to force you to exclude any of your relatives.

Some examples of prompts I have found include the following - Closest to your birthday, Good deeds, Stormy Weather, Same (for one week), Different (for the next week), Black Sheep, Military, Musical, School Days, Large Family, OOPS, Frightening (for Halloween), Thankful (for American Thanksgiving), and Holidays.

That is just from one years worth of prompts, and obviously not all of them. I'm pretty sure your ancestors can fit into one or two of these prompts if you think about it.

This years prompts (for 2018)  may be completely different - although I would not be at all surprised if some of them are the same.
I love this idea!! Include me please...I signed up on the blog page too...need the reminders to keep motivated and on track. LOL
The first prompt is now up and running. The prompt is START

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/531413/52-ancestors-week-one-start

 

Don't forget to bookmark the Space page to get access to each new thread.

We also have a new Tag -  52_ancestors

Good luck and Have fun!!
Ok I am signing up.  I will look at the first 2 prompts and post something on them.

how do i join the 52 week thing and is it too late in the year to do so?

Robin, consider yourself signed up as of now!!

All you need to do is to write something for each prompt - or those that you choose to write about.

We are currently up to week 22.

You can find all the prompts on THIS Space Page.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:52_Ancestors_for_52_Weeks_in_2018_Challenge

Your responses to each prompts must be posted on each thread that is listed on the space page. You dont have to post anything in that thread directly. You can post to a blog and leave a link on the prompt thread if you wish.

Good Luck!!!
I'm bored and going to work through the challenge right from this first post.... Hopefully can catch up to the present! LOL!!!

41 Answers

+22 votes
Great Idea. I did a similar exercise on facebook and posted information (and a link to wikitree) for an ancestor  who was born died or married each week on Facebook. People really love it.
by Lance Martin G2G6 Pilot (125k points)
+18 votes
This is a great idea, Robynne!

I will jump in when I can. :-)

Also, along the same lines as Lance: If you do participate in this, it would be really fun to share your ancestors on social media so that your cousins can see what's going on. Maybe you'll inspire someone to come and help!!
by Julie Ricketts G2G6 Pilot (481k points)
I am not on Twitter or Instagram but I can certainly do Facebook :)
But yes, anyone can post to the weekly wikitree thread and to whatever social media you want to as well.
+12 votes
I am same with Robynne but I Do not do Facebook either. But I can do it on G2G or google+. I do want to join in.
by Living Barnett G2G6 Pilot (500k points)
G2G is fine!!
You dont even HAVE to post anything except for yourself, but the whole point of this challenge is to post something so that others can see and/or read it.
+16 votes
Thank you for posting this, Robynne.  I though about joining Amy Crow's challenge last year, but I'm not interested in posting on social media.  However, improving one WikiTree profile a week sounds doable.  If you decide to do this, I'm in!
by Star Kline G2G6 Pilot (715k points)
Don't worry Star, I'm gonna do this anyway - especially now that people are showing some interest!! Even if they didn't, I would probably still do it...

Some of the blog entries I have read in previous 52 Ancestor challenges are quite interesting. Which is why I want to do this. G2G is still social media. I'm not sure that I want to post all my ancestors all over FB, but here on G2G - I have no problems with the concept.  I might post one of two of my responses on FB if they are particularly interesting or relevant to the wider world.
+16 votes

I like this idea and will give some thought to it as the weeks come about. Why not here on our G2G forum. Thanks for sharing the idea and wanting to spear head it Robynne!! If nothing else we could get 52 x __ (times those who participate) "new or improved profiles" from a great group of genealogists here!

by Sandra Davidson G2G6 Pilot (188k points)
+14 votes
Sounds interesting. I'll join,
by Joan Whitaker G2G6 Pilot (169k points)
+12 votes
One of my cousins posted about this in our surname group. I've joined. :)
by Charlotte Shockey G2G6 Pilot (979k points)
+12 votes
This is a great idea.  Count me in.
by Lisa Dwyer G2G6 Mach 5 (52.8k points)
+10 votes
This sounds like a good way to get more profiles done in the family. I would be interested in participating, not sure about signing up for the challenge because I'm not really a fan of social media.
by Dean Anderson G2G6 Pilot (774k points)
But can you post to G2G?

I'm not a fan of social media either. But I do plan to post here on G2G.

THIS is also social media!!
+10 votes
I would participate.  Not sure if I can do every week, but I will try.
by Jim Parsons G2G6 Mach 1 (12.2k points)
You dont have to do it every week - just what you can, when you can!!
+9 votes
I'm in! I've signed up.
by Janet Berkman G2G3 (3.8k points)
+9 votes
It sounds like fun!!  I'm in.
by Karen Lorenz G2G6 Pilot (131k points)
+9 votes
I'm in!  Maybe I can get some of my distant relatives to join in. I was debating about doing an online family reunion, but this seems a better and more productive idea.
by Susan Fitzmaurice G2G6 Mach 6 (61.8k points)
Great!!

You can post here on G2G and on any other social media that you choose.
+10 votes
I would like to do the 52 weeks. Can I use WikiTree as my platform ?
by Maggie N. G2G Astronaut (1.3m points)
Absolutely!!

I will be posting a weekly thread here on G2G where we can post our ancestor or relative each week.
+10 votes
I am very motivated by motivational tools!  I have signed up and looking forward to improving my ancestors profiles and sharing them.  

My goal for 2018 is to make biobuilding a priority. My ancestors deserve better than a simple gedcom upload.
by Emma MacBeath G2G Astronaut (1.2m points)
Welcome Emma, Glad to have join us!!
+9 votes
Thanks Robynne this is a great idea and I've signed up.  I spend so much of my WikiTree time on EuroAristo profiles, I'm going to use this to spend a bit of time each week on my poor neglected ancestors.
by John Atkinson G2G6 Pilot (611k points)
Welcome John, and thanks for signing up.
+6 votes
Sounds intriguing!  I signed up on her webpage, and look forward to seeing what other's do here on WikiTree!
by Charlie Panek G2G6 Mach 2 (27.4k points)
+6 votes
I think this is a terrific idea, and I am all in! Just hope I have ancestors who fit in!!
by Robin Kabrich G2G6 Mach 4 (47.5k points)
As I said in my comment above, the prompts are fairly broad and you can interpret them any way you wish in order to involve your ancestors.

Another example I found was the prompt word PROUD. One blogger did up a bio on an ancestor whom the blogger was very proud of. I think the ancestor was a mayor or a notable person in the city or area where he lived.

I am sure that you wont have any problems finding ancestors who will "fit in".
+5 votes
I wonder if we might be able to get the badge (for those who like badges) if we upload at a greater rate than one a week. I have found my ancestors pop up in batches.
by William Arbuthnot of Kittybrewster G2G6 Pilot (181k points)
Since we will receive 52 different prompts in total, we will need to write about 52 ancestors to cover each one of those prompts. And these prompts will only be released on a weekly basis.

You can certainly do more than one ancestor each week if you wish, but you wont get the badge any earlier than 52 weeks if you have not covered ALL the prompts.
Also you are NOT restricted to JUST your direct ancestors - those people in your direct line. You are free to also write about siblings and cousins in each generation as well.
+9 votes

I am doing this!! Funnily enough, I stumbled across an old post about 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks recently, and decided to do it on my own blog in 2018. I searched for anyone else doing it in recent years and couldn't find anything! I'm so glad to see it's coming back.

So, I've already posted about doing this on my genealogy blog, Stories of a Canadian Family (which hasn't been updated in years but I'm resolving to revive in 2018), and I'll gladly participate in whatever the WikiTree community does for this, too!

by Liander Lavoie G2G6 Pilot (451k points)
Lianne, Having just read your blog post about doing this challenge for 2018, I would suggest that you can still follow the prompts, and do your ancestors, but just dont stick rigidly to the order in which your ancestors appear on your tree. Just a suggestion.

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